# overworked

/ˌoʊvɝˈwɝkt/ (US) · /ˌəʊvəwˈɜːkt/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/overworked
Updated: 2026-05-18

## Definition

to work too much or for too long. You use this when someone is doing more than they can handle.

For teachers: to work excessively or beyond one's capacity. Often used in the passive voice to describe a person's state of exhaustion.

## Examples

- The manager overworked the staff during the busy holiday season.
- Many employees feel overworked when their company expects them to check emails and respond to messages during their weekends.
- The CEO was criticized for overworking his team to meet unrealistic quarterly targets, leading to a significant decline in overall morale and productivity.

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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.