overworked 1 of 2

adjective

as in overtaxed

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overworked

2 of 2

verb

past tense of overwork
1
as in overused

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2
as in exerted

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Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of overworked
Adjective
Returning home allowed Mike to get up and walk without waiting hours for an overworked nurse to unplug a bunch of monitors, and to enjoy real food. — Kim Clark, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026 Why does almost every punch line feel overworked and underdeveloped? — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 23 May 2026 After Raymond wrapped, Heaton joined actor Kelsey Grammer on Fox's Back to You before finding a new home on the small screen as an overworked mom on ABC's The Middle, which also lasted nine seasons, from 2009 to 2018. — Kate Hogan, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026 The track marks littering his arms suggest a life devoted to a destructive heroin habit, but Amin’s sister is determined to nurse him back to health, even though this only puts more of a burden on the overworked single mother. — Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026 Political dysfunction has left overworked controllers using outdated equipment. — Tasneem Nashrulla, semafor.com, 24 Mar. 2026 While the coroner’s report did not establish a connection between the banker’s death and his intense Wall Street workload, his death spurred attention to the long hours and health declines of overworked investment bankers. — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 24 Mar. 2026 Despite being born into wealth, Wesley Evers first appears as an overworked public defender who takes issue with cops not following procedure. — Tanya Melendez, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Jan. 2026 The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has had to cut flights at major airports to relieve overworked controllers, exposing systemic operational vulnerabilities. — Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overworked
  1. exhausted
  2. overused
  3. exerted
  4. fatigued
  5. invaded
  6. exercised
  7. tired
  8. entrenched
Adjective
  • Ariel, a successful but exhausted writer, struggles to stay young and attractive while his younger wife drags him into a demanding social life, his five children treat him like a butler, and his elderly parents constantly demand his attention.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Yet despite all this effort, many high achievers report feeling mentally exhausted, creatively depleted and less productive than ever.
    — Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of exhausted
Verb
  • While the analogy may be slightly overused, the challenge is that oil still needs to be refined into a useful end product.
    — Guy Courtin, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • Although the word ‘hero’ is greatly overused in today’s society, in my mind, Calvin Duncan is a hero in the truest sense of that word.
    — Gabrielle Bellot, Literary Hub, 30 June 2026
Definition of overused
Verb
  • But atmospheric drag intensified by solar activity exerted its forces on the observatory.
    — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Igbo, Yoruba, and Hausa, the big three of the three hundred–plus ethnicities that made up the national character, exerted their outsized influence in the shattering wave of military coups that preceded and followed the brutal civil war.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of exerted
Adjective
  • My massage therapist said that this serum, derived from Hawaiian comfrey and noni plants infused into rich macadamia nut oil, works to awaken fatigued cells, according to the serum-maker.
    — Ben Davidson, Mercury News, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Those subjects reported feeling more fatigued and stressed compared to healthy controls.
    — Rachel Nuwer, Quanta Magazine, 17 July 2026
Definition of fatigued
Verb
  • President Joe Biden deployed 180 million barrels to address energy market volatility after Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022.
    — Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 10 Aug. 2026
  • In 1940, when France was invaded once again, Monnet went further and suggested a Franco-British union.
    — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of invaded
Verb
  • In global soccer, authority is not exercised by FIFA alone, but through relationships.
    — Clemente Lisi, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • In addition, Bloomsburg mayors can vote freely on matters of local governance; this gives them more power than is usually exercised by other Pennsylvania mayors, who often vote only as tie-breakers.
    — Scott Spires, Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of exercised
Adjective
  • Well, the growing season in the South is a long one, and even the best thrillers get tired, the spillers get leggy, and the fillers sometimes disappear.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Replace Cabinet Hardware New drawer pulls, cabinet knobs, and even hinges can make quite the impact on your tired old kitchen cabinets.
    — Barbara Bellesi Zito, The Spruce, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of tired
Verb
  • Stout may only be entering his second season but he is entrenched as the third cornerback, lining up against slot receivers in the 49ers’ nickel package.
    — Cam Inman, Mercury News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • His command of celebrity culture — its secrets, scandals, and machinations — was already firmly entrenched.
    — Shirley Halperin, Rolling Stone, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of entrenched

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Cite this Entry

“Overworked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overworked. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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