English Expressions, Idioms & Phrasal Verbs | Meanings, Examples & Usage
to reach a negotiated settlement or deal
"The trade ministers managed to work out agreements after long discussions."
to exercise at a gym or place regularly
"I work out at the gym every morning before work."
to find a solution or compromise to disagreements between parties
"The two nations tried to work out differences through dialogue."
to end successfully for someone
"I hope everything works out for you in your new job."
to be based or operate from a specific place
"He works out of our Singapore office."
to plan or calculate something in detail before action
"They worked out on paper the logistics of the export plan."
to exercise frequently to stay fit and healthy
"She works out regularly to keep her body strong and mind fresh."
to negotiate and agree on trade tariffs with another party
"The two nations are trying to work out tariffs with each other."
to calculate or come to a certain amount
"The total cost works out to about $200."
to find a solution or come to an agreement with others
"We need to work out with the marketing team to align our plans."
to review or revise something carefully
"We need to work over the report before submission."
to overcome an emotional obstacle or memory
"He’s still trying to work past his anxiety."
to deal with and resolve difficult emotions or experiences
"He’s trying to work through his grief after the loss."
to deal with and overcome problems while continuing progress
"The creative team managed to work through challenges and meet the deadline."
to process and deal with emotions over time
"It took her months to work through her grief."
to process emotions patiently so you understand them
"Therapists help clients work through feelings after setbacks."
to continue working even during difficult times
"She managed to work through hardship without losing hope."
to deal with emotional pain step by step until you heal
"He is still trying to work through pain after the breakup."
to deal with and gradually overcome stress
"Meditation helps me work through stress effectively."
to cooperate with others to achieve a goal
"If we work together, we can finish this project faster."
to make progress in achieving something
"I’m working toward becoming a better version of myself."
to make efforts to achieve fairness and equal opportunities
"International organizations continue to work toward equality for all genders."
to make consistent efforts to achieve high standards
"Our teachers motivate us to work toward excellence in every subject."
to make efforts to achieve objectives
"Everyone in the company is working toward the same vision."
to make efforts to maintain peace and understanding among nations
"The regional alliance continues to work toward harmony in the area."
to make efforts to become better or achieve progress
"Everyone in the team is working toward improvement this quarter."
to practice and improve until becoming very skilled
"She is working toward mastery in public speaking."
to make efforts to achieve harmony and stability among nations
"International leaders continue to work toward peace in conflict zones."
to make an effort to empathize and see another person’s perspective
"Both sides should work toward understanding rather than arguing."
to make efforts to achieve a particular goal
"He is working towards his dream of becoming a pilot."
to make efforts to achieve progress or better results
"We must continuously work towards improvement in our processes."
to operate or perform duties while facing stress or conditions
"She can work under extreme pressure and still deliver quality results."
to develop or build up something gradually
"He is trying to work up the courage to speak to his boss."
to gradually prepare for something difficult
"She’s working up to asking for a promotion."
to cooperate or collaborate with someone
"I really enjoy working with this creative team."
to operate while staying under specific limits or constraints
"The team must work within the given budget."
to work extremely hard
"She worked her fingers to the bone to support her family."
a balanced and peaceful relationship between work and personal life
"She believes in maintaining work-life harmony."
to have access to vast information easily, especially online
"With smartphones, the world is at your fingertips."
to be competent or deserving respect in one’s field
"Any engineer worth his salt can solve this problem."
to summarize or conclude by revisiting main ideas
"Let’s wrap around our discussion by revisiting the key points."
to have complete control or influence over someone
"She has her boss wrapped around her finger."
to finish tasks and close out the workday
"I wrap the day up by reviewing tomorrow's top three priorities."
to bring a discussion or event to an end
"The moderator wrapped up the debate after the final statements."
to finish or complete something
"We need to wrap up the project by the end of this week."
to understand or comprehend something difficult
"It took me a while to wrap my head around the new software."
to understand or accept something
"It's hard to wrap your head around it, but that's just how the system works."
to succeed in understanding something difficult or strange
"I'm still trying to wrap my head around this new software."
to reply to someone’s complaint or message
"The company promised to write back within 48 hours."
to record cultural stories or traditions in written form
"He decided to write down his grandmother’s folk stories."