work over
verb
worked over; working over; works over
1
: to subject to thorough examination, study, or treatment
shelf stock worked over by shoppers
2
: to do over : rework
saved the play by working the first act over
3
: to beat up or manhandle with thoroughness
My boxing opponent worked me over in the ring.
Synonyms
- bash
- baste
- bat
- batter
- beat
- belabor
- belt
- birch
- bludgeon
- buffet
- bung up
- club
- curry
- do
- drub
- fib [British]
- flog
- hammer
- hide
- lace
- lambaste
- lambast
- lash
- lather
- lick
- maul
- mess (up)
- paddle
- pelt
- pommel
- pound
- pummel
- punch out
- rough (up)
- slate
- slog
- switch
- tan
- thrash
- thresh
- thump
- tromp
- wallop
- whale
- whip
- whop
- whap
- whup
Examples of work over in a Sentence
the mob boss's thugs really worked him over
Recent Examples on the Web
Oracle and others had been hesitant to violate the law under the Biden administration, said two people involved in their work over the weekend who didn’t have permission to speak publicly — a key reason the app stopped working for half a day over the weekend, when the ban took effect.
—
Sapna Maheshwari, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2025
Firefighting aircraft are currently working over the greater Los Angeles area blaze, which threatens the California State University campus.
—Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 23 Jan. 2025
Although OpenAI has led the pack, many AI companies have worked over the past two years to influence policy and grow without government interference.
—Karen Hao, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2025
Hundreds of hours of work over many weeks go into a victory celebration, sports commission President and CEO Kathy Nelson has said in the past.
—Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 14 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for work over 
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Sapna Maheshwari, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2025
Firefighting aircraft are currently working over the greater Los Angeles area blaze, which threatens the California State University campus.
—Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 23 Jan. 2025
Although OpenAI has led the pack, many AI companies have worked over the past two years to influence policy and grow without government interference.
—Karen Hao, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2025
Hundreds of hours of work over many weeks go into a victory celebration, sports commission President and CEO Kathy Nelson has said in the past.
—Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 14 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for work over
Dictionary Entries Near work over
Cite this Entry
“Work over.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/work%20over. Accessed 7 Feb. 2025.
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