Sometimes, we want to tell others how hard someone is working. Instead of just saying, “He works hard,” people often use special phrases called idioms. Idioms are fun expressions that mean something different from the words they use. For example, “burning the midnight oil” doesn’t mean lighting a lamp it means working late at night. These idioms help us explain effort in a more colorful and interesting way.
In this article, you will learn 40 idioms for working hard. Each one comes with a simple meaning and examples you can relate to. These idioms are used in everyday conversations, at school, and even at home. Once you know them, you’ll start to notice them more and might even use them yourself. Let’s explore these common phrases and see how they show the meaning of hard work.
Idioms for Working Hard
1. Burn the midnight oil
Meaning: Work late into the night
For Example: I burned the midnight oil to finish my science project./ Dad burned the midnight oil grading papers.
Alternatively: Stay up late working
2. Go the extra mile
Meaning: Do more than what is needed
For Example: She went the extra mile by helping clean up after the party./ He always goes the extra mile on school projects.
Alternatively: Do extra work
3. Put your nose to the grindstone
Meaning: Focus and work hard
For Example: I put my nose to the grindstone to learn my spelling words./ She put her nose to the grindstone and studied for hours.
Alternatively: Work seriously
4. Break your back
Meaning: Work very hard
For Example: He broke his back shoveling snow all morning/Mom broke her back cleaning the whole house.
Alternatively: Work really hard
5. Give it your all
Meaning: Try your best
For Example: She gave it her all in the soccer game./ I gave it my all during the math test.
Alternatively: Try your hardest
6. Pull your weight
Meaning: Do your fair share of work
For Example: Everyone has to pull their weight in the group project./My brother finally started pulling his weight with chores.
Alternatively: Help out
7. Put in long hours
Meaning: Work for a long time
For Example: We put in long hours building the treehouse./Dad put in long hours at work last week.
Alternatively: Spend a lot of time working
8. Work your fingers to the bone
Meaning: Work very hard, often physically
For Example: She worked her fingers to the bone wrapping gifts./We worked our fingers to the bone painting the fence.
Alternatively: Do tough work
9. Keep your nose clean
Meaning: Stay out of trouble and work steadily
For Example: He keeps his nose clean and does all his homework./I try to keep my nose clean in class.
Alternatively: Be responsible
10. Hit the ground running
Meaning: Start working hard right away
For Example: We hit the ground running on our school play./She hit the ground running when the test began.
Alternatively: Get started fast
11. Grind away
Meaning: Keep working hard, especially on something tough
For Example: I grind away at my math homework every night./ She grinds away to improve her reading.
Alternatively: Keep trying
12. Sweat blood
Meaning: Try very hard to get something done
For Example:He sweated blood to win the trophy./ We sweated blood preparing for the play.
Alternatively: Work with great effort
13. Push yourself
Meaning: Try harder than usual
For Example: I pushed myself to finish the mile run./ She pushed herself to read a whole chapter book.
Alternatively: Try more than usual
14. Give 110 percent
Meaning: Try harder than the best effort
For Example: She gave 110 percent during the championship game./I gave 110 percent studying for finals.
Alternatively: Try really, really hard
15. Stay on your toes
Meaning: Be ready and alert while working
For Example: The teacher told us to stay on our toes during the quiz./He stayed on his toes while helping in the kitchen.
Alternatively: Be alert
16. All hands on deck
Meaning: Everyone needs to help
For Example: It was all hands on deck to clean the classroom./ Mom said it’s all hands on deck before guests arrive.
Alternatively: Everyone helps
17. Put your heart into it
Meaning: Work with love and care
For Example: She put her heart into writing the poem./I put my heart into drawing that picture.
Alternatively: Care deeply
18. Bend over backwards
Meaning: Try very hard to help
For Example: She bent over backwards to make my birthday fun./He bent over backwards helping with the science fair.
Alternatively: Go out of your way
19. On the grind
Meaning: Always working hard
For Example: He’s always on the grind with schoolwork./She stays on the grind before dance shows.
Alternatively: Always working
20. In the zone
Meaning: Very focused and working well
For Example: She was in the zone during her piano practice./I was in the zone doing my art project.
Alternatively: Very focused
21. Put in the work
Meaning: Make an effort
For Example: He put in the work and aced his test./She put in the work to earn her badge.
Alternatively: Try
22. Get your hands dirty
Meaning: Do hard or messy work
For Example: We got our hands dirty planting flowers./Dad got his hands dirty fixing the sink.
Alternatively: Do real work
23. Nose to the book
Meaning: Study hard
For Example: She had her nose to the book all weekend./He kept his nose to the book for the spelling bee.
Alternatively: Study carefully
24. Stick with it
Meaning: Keep trying, even when it’s hard
For Example: She stuck with it and finished her puzzle./I stuck with it and passed my test.
Alternatively: Don’t give up
25. Put your back into it
Meaning: Use a lot of effort
For Example: He put his back into lifting the heavy box./We put our backs into cleaning the garage.
Alternatively: Try hard physically
26. Keep at it
Meaning: Don’t stop working
For Example: Keep at it, and you’ll finish your project./She kept at it and learned to spell the word.
Alternatively: Keep going
27. Keep your head down
Meaning: Focus quietly and work
For Example: He kept his head down and did all his homework./I kept my head down and finished my chores.
Alternatively: Stay focused
28. Pull an all-nighter
Meaning: Stay up all night working
For Example: We pulled an all-nighter making posters./She pulled an all-nighter for her science project.
Alternatively: Work all night
29. Head down, work hard
Meaning: Focus only on the task
For Example: He kept his head down and worked hard in art class./I had my head down finishing the test.
Alternatively: Stay focused
30. Plug away
Meaning: Keep working steadily
For Example: I plugged away at my essay until I finished./She plugged away on her math problems.
Alternatively: Keep working
31. Dig deep
Meaning: Use extra strength to keep going
For Example: I had to dig deep to finish the race./She dug deep to finish her long homework.
Alternatively: Find more energy
32. Hang in there
Meaning: Keep going even when it’s tough
For Example: Hang in there the school year is almost over!/She hung in there through the long practice.
Alternatively: Don’t give up
33. Buckle down
Meaning: Get serious about work
For Example: It’s time to buckle down and study./He buckled down and cleaned his room.
Alternatively: Focus now
34. Chug along
Meaning: Keep moving and working slowly
For Example: We chugged along on our group project./She chugged along through her reading.
Alternatively: Keep at it
35. Nose to the grind
Meaning: Focus hard on work
For Example: He kept his nose to the grind and finished early./She had her nose to the grind in art class.
Alternatively: Stay focused
36. Carry the load
Meaning: Do a big part of the work
For Example: He carried the load in the group project./Mom carried the load during the move.
Alternatively: Do a lot
37. Rise to the occasion
Meaning: Do well when it’s needed most
For Example: She rose to the occasion during the school play./ He rose to the occasion during the spelling bee.
Alternatively: Step up
38. Tackle the task
Meaning: Start and work hard on something
For Example: We tackled the task of cleaning the attic./He tackled the task of organizing the books.
Alternatively: Get started
39. Shoulder the responsibility
Meaning: Take on the work or duty
For Example: She shouldered the responsibility for the school event./He shouldered the responsibility for the clean-up.
Alternatively: Take the job
40. Do the heavy lifting
Meaning: Do the hardest part of the work
For Example: He did the heavy lifting for our science project./She did the heavy lifting during rehearsal.
Alternatively: Handle the tough stuff
True/False Quiz: Idioms for Working Hard
Answer the questions below to test your understanding of idioms for working hard. Write True or False next to each sentence.
- “Burning the midnight oil” means going to bed early to rest before work.
- If someone “pulls their weight,” they are helping with the work.
- Saying “give it your all” means you are holding back a little.
- When a person “puts in long hours,” they are working for a short time.
- “Stick with it” means to keep trying even when something is hard.
- If you “buckle down,” you are focusing and getting serious.
- “Pull an all-nighter” means to relax and do nothing.
- “Put your back into it” means to try hard, especially in a physical task.
- “On the grind” describes someone who is always goofing off.
- “Rise to the occasion” means doing your best when needed most.
Answer Key
- False
- True
- False
- False
- True
- True
- False
- True
- False
- True
Scoring Guide
- 10 Correct Answers: Topics Master!
- 7–9 Correct Answers: You really get Topics nice work!
- 4–6 Correct Answers: You’re learning, keep going!
- 0–3 Correct Answers: Let’s learn about Topics together!
Conclusion
Working hard is something we all have to do sometimes whether it’s in school, at home, or with our team. These idioms help us talk about effort in fun and clear ways. Now that you know them, you can use these expressions to show how much work you or someone else is doing. Keep practicing, and soon these phrases will be a natural part of how you speak and write.
