work overtime

idiom

: to spend time working at one's job in addition to one's normal working hours
often used figuratively
Her imagination was working overtime.
He's been working overtime around the house to please his wife.

Examples of work overtime in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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That move freed up millions of dollars, allowing Pennsylvania State Police, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and PennDOT employees to work overtime, waive certain regulations and cut red tape for state-level road clearing. Meghan Schiller, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026 The Canary Islands While part of the show literally takes place in Spain, the Canary Islands work overtime as a dupe for South America and the Middle East. Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Jan. 2026 Fortunately, the charisma of the show's stars – such as Caity Lotz, Brandon Routh, and Dominic Purcell – work overtime to compensate for the noticeable shortcomings, keeping the viewers invested in what's on screen even as the series stumbles through an initial and very public identity crisis. Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 21 Jan. 2026 Her adrenal gland would begin to work overtime and she’d be lifted up, energized, hunted, and desperate to outwit her attacker and survive. Literary Hub, 14 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for work overtime

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“Work overtime.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/work%20overtime. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.

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