Meaning & use
work around the clock
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Meaning
phraseidiom
to keep working continuously both day and night, without a long rest, especially to finish something urgent.
Grammar: Used as a verb phrase; it takes no object and often follows be: They were working around the clock.
Patterns
- work around the clock
- be working around the clock
- work around the clock to do something
The nurses worked around the clock during the storm.
We worked around the clock to get the report ready for Monday.
Engineers were working around the clock to repair the broken bridge.
Common combinations
- work around the clock to do something
- She worked around the clock to finish the design.
- be working around the clock
- The team is working around the clock on the new product.
- around-the-clock care
- The patient needs around-the-clock care.
- around-the-clock service
- The hotline offers around-the-clock service.
Synonyms and how they differ
- work nonstop
- Similar meaning, but it can refer to any period of continuous work, not necessarily day and night.
- work day and night
- Very close in meaning; it is more literal and slightly less idiomatic.
- burn the midnight oil
- This means to study or work late into the night, not necessarily for a full 24 hours.
Word family
- around-the-clock adjective
- Happening or available all day and all night: around-the-clock support.
Commonly confused: work around the clock or work against the clock?
work around the clock vs work against the clock
This means to work fast because there is very little time left, not to work continuously.
Practice
The rescue team ______ around the clock to find the missing climbers.
Choose one answer.
The past simple 'worked' fits the past-time story. 'Working' is not a full verb here, 'works' would need a singular subject, and 'work' would be the present simple, which clashes with the past context.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “work around the clock”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.