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
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
Throughout the four-episode series, officers and genealogists work over the course of 16 years to uncover the truth behind the brutal attack and identify the killer.
—Jordana Comiter, People.com, 10 Jan. 2025
This weird information-theory concept has become a power-saving chip
02 Jan 2025
6 min read
Edmon de Haro
Michael Frank has spent his career as an academic researcher working over three decades in a very peculiar niche of computer engineering.
—IEEE Spectrum, 2 Jan. 2025
As usual, the Blue Moon employees are rowdy and ready to party; their festive spirits are doused with bah humbug reality when Maddie demands everyone work over the holiday.
—Erin Strecker, IndieWire, 23 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for work over 
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Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 14 Jan. 2025
Throughout the four-episode series, officers and genealogists work over the course of 16 years to uncover the truth behind the brutal attack and identify the killer.
—Jordana Comiter, People.com, 10 Jan. 2025
This weird information-theory concept has become a power-saving chip
02 Jan 2025
6 min read
Edmon de Haro
Michael Frank has spent his career as an academic researcher working over three decades in a very peculiar niche of computer engineering.
—IEEE Spectrum, 2 Jan. 2025
As usual, the Blue Moon employees are rowdy and ready to party; their festive spirits are doused with bah humbug reality when Maddie demands everyone work over the holiday.
—Erin Strecker, IndieWire, 23 Dec. 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 26 Jan. 2025.
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