# donkey work

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/donkey-work
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Work that is difficult, boring, and routine.

## Examples

- I hate doing the donkey work for this project.
- The interns spent the entire afternoon doing the donkey work of sorting through thousands of old files.
- While the lead architect designed the building's striking facade, his assistants were left to perform the tedious donkey work of drafting every minor technical detail.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.