Phrasal Verbs with Work – Meaning & Examples

This article will see phrasal verbs starting with the word “Work.”

List of Phrasal verbs with Work

The list of phrasal verbs that start with the word “Work” is as follows.

Work against/for
Work off
Work on/upon
Work out
Work away at something
Work somebody up
Work something down

Let us see the meaning of each phrasal verb with Work and their usage in a sentence.

1. Work against/for

Work against/for meaning: To make it more difficult, or easier, for someone to achieve something

Using Work against/for in a sentence:

She worked against the clock to finish the project on time.
He worked for the good of the company, even if it meant sacrificing his own time.
The small business struggled to work against larger corporations in the market.
They worked for their common goal and managed to succeed.
The strong winds worked against the sailors and made their journey difficult.
She worked for her beliefs and never gave up.
The employees worked against management’s proposal and successfully proposed a better solution.
He worked for his family, putting in long hours at the office.
The rising temperatures worked against the farmers, causing crop failures.
She worked for peace, dedicating her life to activism.
The new policies worked against the workers, making their jobs more difficult.
He worked for the community, volunteering his time and resources.
The traffic worked against her, causing her to be late for the meeting.
They worked for the environment, planting trees and cleaning up the local parks.
The tight deadline worked against the team, putting pressure on them to deliver the project.
She worked for her education, studying hard and earning a degree.
The competition worked against the small business, making it difficult for them to succeed.
He worked for the cause, donating money and raising awareness.
The language barrier worked against the travelers, making it difficult for them to communicate with locals.
They worked for their dream, putting in the effort and determination needed to make it a reality.

2. Work off

Work off meaning: If you work off an unpleasant feeling, you get rid of it by doing something energetic.

Using Work off in a sentence:

I need to work off some of the excess calories I ate over the weekend.
She worked off her frustration by going for a run.
The company is offering its employees an opportunity to work off their paid time off.
The new gym membership will help me work off some of the weight I gained.
I’ve been working off the debt I owe my parents for years.
He decided to work off his anger by lifting weights.
The volunteer program is a great way to work off community service hours.
We’ll have to work off the cost of the damages caused by the party.
She spends every Saturday working off her gardening chores.
They’re going to have to work off the mistake they made on the project.
I’m trying to work off my guilt for not being there for my friend.
We had to work off the late fee by doing additional tasks.
He’s been working off the rust and getting back into shape.
I need to work off some of the stress I’ve been feeling lately.
The extra hours of work will help us work off the backlog.
She’s been working off the books to save some extra cash.
They’re planning to work off their vacation days by volunteering.
I’m trying to work off my shyness by joining a public speaking club.
We’ll have to work off the cost of the repairs by doing odd jobs.
He’s been working off his jet lag by going for long walks.

3. Work on

Work on meaning: to spend time preparing or improving something

Using Work on in a sentence:

I need to work on my communication skills.
We’re working on a new project.
She’s been working on her art every day.
I need to work on my time management.
They’re working on a solution to the problem.
He’s been working on his fitness lately.
We need to work on our teamwork skills.
I’m working on my thesis.
They’re working on improving their service.
I need to work on my public speaking.
She’s working on a novel.
We’re working on a marketing campaign.
He’s been working on his photography.
I need to work on my patience.
They’re working on a website redesign.
I’m working on a software project.
She’s working on her music skills.
We’re working on a new business strategy.
I need to work on my budgeting.
They’re working on a research project.

4. Work out

Work out meaning: to be the result of a calculation

Using Work out in a sentence:

I need to work out a solution to this problem.
Let’s work out the details later.
She works out every day to stay fit.
We should work out a schedule for the meeting.
I need to work out some kinks in my presentation.
He is trying to work out a deal with the supplier.
They are working out a plan to save the company.
We have to work out a budget for the project.
She is working out a compromise between both parties.
I’ll work out a way to fix the issue.
They have been working out the differences for weeks.
We need to work out a strategy to win the game.
She is working out a new routine at the gym.
Let’s work out a fair price for the product.
I’m trying to work out the cause of the problem.
They have to work out a solution before it’s too late.
We are working out the details for the trip.
She works out to relieve stress.
I need to work out a better method for this task.
They are working out a payment plan for their debt.

5. Work away at something

Work away at something meaning: continue to work

Using Work away at something in a sentence:

She has been working away at her research for months now.
He has been working away at the project nonstop for the last week.
They have been working away at their business plan for months.
The artist was working away at his masterpiece for hours on end.
The carpenter worked away at the wooden bench, crafting it with precision.
The gardener worked away at the soil, preparing it for planting.
The chef worked away at the recipe, perfecting every ingredient.
The children worked away at their art project, using all the materials provided.
The athletes worked away at their training regime, preparing for the competition.
The students worked away at their homework, determined to do their best.
The engineer worked away at the design, ensuring that it was perfect.
The programmer worked away at the code, fixing all the bugs.
The teacher worked away at the lesson plan, making it engaging for the students.
The author worked away at the novel, revising it countless times.
The mechanic worked away at the engine, repairing it with care.
The architect worked away at the blueprints, fine-tuning every detail.
The singer worked away at the song, practicing it every day.
The dancer worked away at the routine, perfecting every step.
The surgeon worked away at the patient, performing a delicate operation.
The scientist worked away at the experiment, gathering data and analyzing results.

6. Work somebody up

Work somebody up meaning: gradually make somebody very upset, angry, or excited about something

Using Work somebody up in a sentence:

She worked herself up into a frenzy about the upcoming deadline.
He worked up his co-workers with his motivational speeches.
The performance of the team worked up the crowd.
The sight of blood always works him up.
She was worked up about the missed opportunity.
The loud noise worked up the dog.
He worked up the courage to ask for a raise.
The intense workout worked her up and left her exhausted.
The child was worked up over not being able to play outside.
The thought of public speaking works up many people.
The challenge worked him up, and he put in the extra effort.
The argument worked up the entire family.
The slow progress of the project worked the manager up.
The excitement of the concert worked the fans up.
The long wait at the airport worked the passengers up.
The sudden change in plans worked up the group.
The smell of fresh baking works her up every time.
The thought of failing the exam worked up the student.
The good news worked everyone up and lifted their spirits.
The rush hour traffic worked up the driver and made them late.

7. Work something down

Work something down meaning: put down on paper in words, write something on paper, so you do not forget.

Using Work something down in a sentence:

I managed to work down the price of the car.
She was able to work down her anxiety before the presentation.
He is trying to work down the backlog of emails in his inbox.
The company is trying to work down its inventory before the end of the quarter.
I need to work down my debt as soon as possible.
She is determined to work down her to-do list today.
The workers are attempting to work down the pile of boxes in the warehouse.
I was able to work down my fever with rest and medication.
The chef worked down the ingredients to make a delicious sauce.
The team worked down their strategy for the next project.
The project manager is trying to work down the timeline for the project.
The therapist helped me work down my negative thoughts.
We need to work down the project cost to stay within budget.
He worked down his frustration by going for a run.
She worked down her schedule to fit in the meeting.
The salesperson worked down the customer’s objections to make the sale.
The builder is working down the materials they need to complete the job.
The company is trying to work down its carbon footprint by using more sustainable practices.
The scientist worked down the data to find a solution to the problem.
The athlete worked down his time to set a new personal record.