Collocations for "work"
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word "work" in context.
WordReference English Collocations © 2025
work
ⓘMost examples are given in US English. We have labeled exceptions as UK.v
- work as a [firefighter, lumberjack]
- work for the [company, government]
- work [at home, in an office, in a factory]
- work [from home, abroad]
- work in the [medical, information] industry
- (has) worked hard to [become, achieve, support, create, invent]
- are working hard to [make, develop]
- work hard at [becoming]
- work with your [friends, family]
- (don't) work on [Mondays]
- work every [Monday]
- works [three days, 20 hours] a week
- works a 40-hour week
- working like a [dog, horse]
- work on your [project, book, essay, drawing]
- has been working on it for [hours, days, weeks]
- work on your [skills, abilities, confidence]
- work on [developing, improving]
- work through the [pain, depression, loss]
- work through the [problems, issues]
- work through your relationship
- work together to [succeed, achieve]
- work well with her
- working against [each other, the competition]
- work to overcome [adversity, disability, an obstacle]
- working up the [courage, nerve] to
- work your way up in the [company, organization]
- worked our way [slowly, carefully] through the crowd
- work out your [problems, difficulties]
- work out the [answer, solution] (to)
- work off the (extra) [pounds, weight]
- work off [lunch, my dinner, that cake]
- the [machine, boiler, printer] isn't working
- got the [machine] to work again
- the [drugs, medication] didn't work
- nothing seems to work
- it isn't working (well)
- it worked [like a charm, a treat]
- (it) works for me
- (find) what works for you
- (it) worked out [well, great, OK] in the end
- [things, it] didn't work out (between them)
- work out [everyday, after work]
- work [your body, his charm, its magic]
- [hard, tough, challenging, easy, simple, nice, dirty] work
- a [lot, great deal, load] of work
- [snowed under by, overwhelmed with] work
- very [busy, bored, snowed under] with work
- [he, my sister, her son] is looking for work
- I start work at [07:00, noon]
- the students finished their work [in class, at home]
- she [often, always] takes work home (with her)
- why am I always doing the dirty work?
- cleaning the [house, garage, office] is a lot of work
- [insulted, harassed, abused] at work
- answer [private, personal] [calls, emails] at work
- don't phone me at work!
- his work in the [field, sector, area, sphere] of
- my life's work has been [ruined, destroyed, stolen]!
- what work [can you do, have you done]?
- the [collected, selected, complete] works of
- I'll have the works!
- she [asked, invited, consulted] her work colleagues
- made light work of the [cleaning, task, project]
- my work [suit, car, credit card, clothes]
- [need, don't have, do] work experience
- has a [tough, full] work schedule
- a [good, toxic] work environment
- [gets along, going out] with her work colleagues
- during work hours
- [in, during] work hours
- [with, without] a work permit
- (has) a strong work ethic
'work' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Australia
- Britain
- Canada
- England
- Europe
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- I
- ID
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Jewish
- London
- Mexico
- Morocco
- Netherlands
- Spain
- Sunday
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Thanksgiving
- Thursday
- US
- Wales
- a piece
- a stone's throw
- ability
- able
- abroad
- absence
- absent
- abuse
- accepted
- accident
- accomplishment
- account
- accounting
- achieve
- acknowledge
- acquaintance
- acquainted
- actual
- actually
- adjustment
- advance
- advancement
- advantage