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Meaning & use

hard work

noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˌhɑːd ˈwɜːk/
US/ˌhɑːrd ˈwɝːk/

Meanings

  1. noununcountableapproving

    Steady, serious effort put into a task, whether physical or mental, especially to achieve something.

    Grammar: No plural and no a: a lot of hard work, not a hard work.

    Patterns

    • hard work pays off
    • put in hard work

    Her success came from years of hard work rather than luck.

    Hard work and a little patience got the team through the busy season.

    He believes that hard work matters more than talent.

  2. noununcountable

    A task or activity that takes a lot of effort, patience or energy and is tiring or difficult.

    Grammar: Often used after be: Teaching small children is hard work.

    Patterns

    • be hard work
    • something is hard work

    Moving house is hard work, even with help.

    Learning a new language is hard work, but it is rewarding.

    Keeping the garden tidy in summer is hard work.

Common combinations

hard work pays off
After months of study, her hard work paid off with top grades.
a lot of hard work
Opening a restaurant takes a lot of hard work.
years of hard work
The garden is the result of years of hard work.
put in hard work
The whole team put in hard work to meet the deadline.
nothing beats hard work
Talent helps, but nothing beats hard work.

Synonyms and how they differ

effort
Effort is more general and can be a single attempt, while hard work suggests effort sustained over time.
toil
Toil is more literary and suggests exhausting, often unpleasant labor.
graft
Graft is a British informal word for hard physical or demanding work, and is less neutral than hard work.
diligence
Diligence describes the careful, steady quality of a person's effort, whereas hard work names the effort itself.

Opposites

lazinessidleness

Word family

hardworking adjective
putting a lot of effort into your work
work hard phrase
to put in a lot of effort
hard worker noun
a person who puts in a lot of effort
work noun
effort or activity done to achieve a result

Commonly confused: hard work or hardly working?

hard work vs hardly working

Hardly working means almost not working, the opposite of hard work. People joke with it, but it is not a typo for hardworking.

Practice

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