# work into the ground

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/work-into-the-ground
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To exhaust through heavy labour.

## Examples

- The boss works his staff into the ground every single day.
- The company took on too many projects and worked the entire team into the ground to meet the deadline.
- Despite the promise of a promotion, the manager continued to work his subordinates into the ground until they were physically and mentally exhausted.

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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.