# make hard work of

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/make-hard-work-of
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To do (something) in a way that makes it more difficult than it needs to be.

## Examples

- You make hard work of simple tasks by worrying too much.
- She makes hard work of writing emails because she spends hours checking every single word for mistakes.
- The candidate made hard work of the interview by overthinking every question instead of providing the straightforward answers the committee required.

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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.