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as in to exert
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of overwork
Be careful not to overwork the dough or the gnocchi will become tough.
—
Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 14 Oct. 2025
The Hurricanes definitely don’t want to overwork Frederik Andersen, with Brind’Amour saying during camp that a 50-50 split between him and Kochetkov would be ideal.
—Cory Lavalette, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
Tips for Making Fancy Baking Powder Biscuits The recipe calls for just a quick mix, so don’t overwork it.
—Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Sep. 2025
Mix gently to combine, being careful not to overwork the meat.
—Robin Miller, AZCentral.com, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overwork
Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 14 Oct. 2025
The Hurricanes definitely don’t want to overwork Frederik Andersen, with Brind’Amour saying during camp that a 50-50 split between him and Kochetkov would be ideal.
—Cory Lavalette, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
Tips for Making Fancy Baking Powder Biscuits The recipe calls for just a quick mix, so don’t overwork it.
—Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Sep. 2025
Mix gently to combine, being careful not to overwork the meat.
—Robin Miller, AZCentral.com, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overwork
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overwork
Verb
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Herzog naturally plays up the enigma at hand with epic grandeur, occasionally overdoing it but usually hitting the mark.—
Eric Kohn,
IndieWire,
24 Apr. 2026
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But nighttime pain that woke me every few hours was likely from overdoing, Bugbee’s nurse explained.—
Nicole Sours Larson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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For years the owner, now 66, has watched tape, done his own player evaluations and sent observations and suggestions to DeCosta, mostly about players who might be available in later rounds — without exerting any actual decision-making power.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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Proponents of citizen journalism saw the control exerted by a few professionals over the news agenda as problematic and hoped that bringing more contributors to the process would lead to news coverage that was more representative of the general public’s issues and concerns.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Rights groups warn the measure, introduced in March 2025, is now being overused by authorities.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
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In some cases, overusing a fine-tooth comb could even backfire.—
Kathleen Ferraro,
Verywell Health,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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William Cruz, 49, of Carteret, NJ, was charged with failure to yield to a pedestrian causing injury and failure to exercise due care for the fatal crash that claimed Jenny Maribel Chacho Sanchez on April 17.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
30 Apr. 2026
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Motorists are encouraged to exercise caution by reducing speed and using low-beam headlights if visibility is reduced.—
Sarah Perkel,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Don't overexert yourself doing outdoor chores or activities.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
22 Jan. 2026
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Don’t overexert yourself trying to push or dig your vehicle out of the snow.—
Jalen Williams,
Freep.com,
26 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Meanwhile, Russia is trying to punish Ukraine on the battlefield.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
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When Andrei Vasilevskiy tried to poke the puck away, Bolduc had moved so deep into the crease area that the puck went off him and into the net for his first career playoff goal.—
Arpon Basu,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The four-man group plays and sings with equal verve whether essaying its own engaging songs or classics by Bill Monroe, The Carter Family and The Stanley Brothers.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
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Playboy's spring issue, including Hale's full photo shoot and essay, hits newsstands in April.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Overwork.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overwork. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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