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
Yet the 49ers have worked over Seattle both with and without McCaffrey.
—
Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 15 Nov. 2024
The documentary alleged that workers were working over the maximum 60 hours weekly, and were forced to take a three-hour bus commute to the desert site and back on top of their shift, leaving them with around four hours to sleep.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024
California Governor Gavin Newsom, for example, has worked over several years to ban practice in the state.
—Dipka Bhambhani, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024
Her team will work over the weekend processing the voter registration forms and conducting training for 400 poll workers.
—Sarah D. Wire, USA TODAY, 28 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for work over 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 15 Nov. 2024
The documentary alleged that workers were working over the maximum 60 hours weekly, and were forced to take a three-hour bus commute to the desert site and back on top of their shift, leaving them with around four hours to sleep.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024
California Governor Gavin Newsom, for example, has worked over several years to ban practice in the state.
—Dipka Bhambhani, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024
Her team will work over the weekend processing the voter registration forms and conducting training for 400 poll workers.
—Sarah D. Wire, USA TODAY, 28 Oct. 2024
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 23 Nov. 2024.
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