The beauty of language lies in its ability to convey complex emotions and experiences, especially when it comes to hard work.
Idioms for hard work serve as powerful reminders of the value of persistence and the journey toward success.
In this article, we’ll delve into several intriguing idioms that capture the spirit of hard work, providing insights that can motivate you to push through challenges and achieve your goals.
✅ The 25 Idioms for Hard Work
1. Burn the midnight oil
The meaning: To work late into the night.
Origin: Refers to the time when oil lamps were used for light during late-night work or study.
In a sentence:
- She burned the midnight oil to finish her project on time.
- Students often burn the midnight oil before exams.
- He had to burn the midnight oil to meet the deadline.
Other Ways to Say:
- Work late
- Pull an all-nighter
- Stay up late working
2. Put your nose to the grindstone
The meaning: To work hard and stay focused.
Origin: Comes from the idea of grinding a tool or blade, requiring steady and continuous effort.
In a sentence:
- You need to put your nose to the grindstone if you want to succeed.
- She put her nose to the grindstone and completed the report early.
- He’s been putting his nose to the grindstone to prepare for the exam.
Other Ways to Say:
- Work diligently
- Stay focused
- Keep at it
3. Break your back
The meaning: To work extremely hard.
Origin: Figurative expression referring to strenuous physical labor.
In a sentence:
- She broke her back to get the business up and running.
- They broke their backs building the house themselves.
- He’s been breaking his back all week to meet the deadline.
Other Ways to Say:
- Work your tail off
- Work your fingers to the bone
- Put in a lot of effort
4. Sweat blood
The meaning: To work extremely hard or put in great effort.
Origin: Likely derived from the idea of intense physical effort causing metaphorical “bleeding.”
In a sentence:
- She’s been sweating blood to finish the project.
- We sweat blood to ensure the event was a success.
- He sweated blood studying for his final exams.
Other Ways to Say:
- Work tirelessly
- Put in serious effort
- Labor intensively
5. Roll up your sleeves
The meaning: Prepare to work hard.
Origin: Refers to the physical act of rolling up shirt sleeves before manual labor.
In a sentence:
- It’s time to roll up your sleeves and get to work.
- They rolled up their sleeves to start the renovation.
- Let’s roll up our sleeves and finish this report.
Other Ways to Say:
- Get ready to work
- Prepare for effort
- Get down to business
6. Put your back into it
The meaning: To work with physical effort or determination.
Origin: Refers to using your physical strength, especially your back muscles, to work harder.
In a sentence:
- If you put your back into it, the garden will be finished today.
- She put her back into cleaning the house.
- Put your back into the task and you’ll finish quicker.
Other Ways to Say:
- Apply effort
- Work hard
- Give it your all
7. Keep your nose to the grindstone
The meaning: To continue working hard without distraction.
Origin: Related to the act of grinding tools, requiring close attention and persistence.
In a sentence:
- Keep your nose to the grindstone and success will come.
- He kept his nose to the grindstone to pass the certification exam.
- If you keep your nose to the grindstone, you’ll finish your thesis on time.
Other Ways to Say:
- Stay focused
- Work steadily
- Maintain concentration
8. Go the extra mile
The meaning: To put in more effort than required.
Origin: Biblical phrase referring to the idea of exceeding expectations.
In a sentence:
- She always goes the extra mile for her clients.
- If you want a promotion, be ready to go the extra mile.
- He goes the extra mile to ensure quality work.
Other Ways to Say:
- Do more than asked
- Put in extra effort
- Exceed expectations
9. Put your shoulder to the wheel
The meaning: To apply yourself with determination and hard work.
Origin: From the act of pushing a wheel, requiring physical effort.
In a sentence:
- It’s time to put your shoulder to the wheel and finish the project.
- They put their shoulders to the wheel to complete the task ahead of schedule.
- If we all put our shoulders to the wheel, we can meet the deadline.
Other Ways to Say:
- Work hard
- Apply effort
- Commit fully
10. Break new ground
The meaning: To do something innovative or work hard to achieve something new.
Origin: From farming—breaking new ground for planting.
In a sentence:
- The team is breaking new ground with their latest invention.
- She broke new ground in her research on renewable energy.
- Breaking new ground requires dedication and hard work.
Other Ways to Say:
- Innovate
- Make progress
- Forge ahead
11. Blood, sweat, and tears
The meaning: Intense and continuous effort.
Origin: Popularized by Winston Churchill’s speeches during WWII.
In a sentence:
- They put in blood, sweat, and tears to build the company.
- Success often requires blood, sweat, and tears.
- Her novel was the result of blood, sweat, and tears.
Other Ways to Say:
- Hard work
- Intense effort
- Dedication
12. Sweat it out
The meaning: To endure hard work or effort, often under stress.
Origin: Refers to sweating during physical or mental exertion.
In a sentence:
- We sweated it out to meet the strict deadline.
- She sweated it out during her final exams.
- The team sweated it out to prepare for the presentation.
Other Ways to Say:
- Work hard
- Persevere
- Endure effort
13. Put your heart and soul into
The meaning: To work with full passion and dedication.
Origin: Metaphorical expression combining heart and soul as sources of energy and commitment.
In a sentence:
- She put her heart and soul into the charity event.
- They put their heart and soul into building their business.
- Put your heart and soul into everything you do.
Other Ways to Say:
- Give it your all
- Work passionately
- Commit fully
14. Hit the ground running
The meaning: To start a task or job with great energy and enthusiasm.
Origin: Sports metaphor describing starting a race running at full speed.
In a sentence:
- She hit the ground running on her first day at work.
- The new team hit the ground running to meet project goals.
- We need to hit the ground running to finish on time.
Other Ways to Say:
- Start quickly
- Begin energetically
- Jump into action
15. Keep your eye on the ball
The meaning: Stay focused on the goal or task.
Origin: Sports metaphor from ball games emphasizing focus.
In a sentence:
- Keep your eye on the ball if you want to finish this project successfully.
- She kept her eye on the ball despite distractions.
- We need to keep our eyes on the ball to meet the deadline.
Other Ways to Say:
- Stay focused
- Maintain concentration
- Keep attention
16. Nose to the grindstone
The meaning: To work hard without stopping.
Origin: Same as “put your nose to the grindstone,” emphasizing persistent effort.
In a sentence:
- She kept her nose to the grindstone for months to succeed.
- Keep your nose to the grindstone if you want that promotion.
- He had his nose to the grindstone to meet the deadline.
Other Ways to Say:
- Stay diligent
- Work persistently
- Focus intently
17. Work your fingers to the bone
The meaning: To work extremely hard for a long time.
Origin: Suggests working until one’s fingers metaphorically wear down.
In a sentence:
- She worked her fingers to the bone to support her family.
- He’s been working his fingers to the bone all year.
- They worked their fingers to the bone to finish the project early.
Other Ways to Say:
- Labor intensely
- Work tirelessly
- Put in maximum effort
18. Burn the candle at both ends
The meaning: To overwork oneself by doing too many things, often leading to exhaustion.
Origin: Refers to burning a candle at both ends to use it up quickly.
In a sentence:
- He’s been burning the candle at both ends to finish the project.
- Don’t burn the candle at both ends or you’ll get sick.
- She burned the candle at both ends studying and working late.
Other Ways to Say:
- Overwork
- Exhaust yourself
- Push too hard
19. Put your heart into it
The meaning: To do something with passion and dedication.
Origin: Metaphorical expression focusing on emotional investment.
In a sentence:
- She put her heart into the charity event.
- If you put your heart into it, the results will show.
- He always puts his heart into his work.
Other Ways to Say:
- Work passionately
- Give your all
- Dedicate yourself
20. Hard at work
The meaning: Actively working with effort and focus.
Origin: Straightforward phrase describing focused labor.
In a sentence:
- She’s hard at work preparing the presentation.
- They were hard at work fixing the issue.
- He’s hard at work on his new project.
Other Ways to Say:
- Busy working
- Focused effort
- Dedicated labor
21. Pull your weight
The meaning: To do your fair share of work.
Origin: Nautical origin referring to sailors pulling their part of the rope.
In a sentence:
- Everyone needs to pull their weight in this project.
- She always pulls her weight in group work.
- If you don’t pull your weight, the team will suffer.
Other Ways to Say:
- Do your part
- Contribute equally
- Work your share
22. Take the bull by the horns
The meaning: To confront a difficult situation directly and with effort.
Origin: From bull handling, grabbing the horns to control the animal.
In a sentence:
- She took the bull by the horns and addressed the problem head-on.
- It’s time to take the bull by the horns and fix the issues.
- He took the bull by the horns and led the team through the crisis.
Other Ways to Say:
- Face the problem
- Take charge
- Be proactive
23. Give it your best shot
The meaning: To try as hard as possible.
Origin: Sports metaphor for taking a shot or attempt with full effort.
In a sentence:
- Give it your best shot and don’t worry about the outcome.
- He gave it his best shot but didn’t win the competition.
- Always give your best shot in everything you do.
Other Ways to Say:
- Try your hardest
- Do your best
- Put in full effort
24. Put your game face on
The meaning: To prepare yourself mentally for hard work or a challenge.
Origin: Sports term referring to the serious expression athletes wear before a game.
In a sentence:
- It’s time to put your game face on and tackle the project.
- She put her game face on before the important meeting.
- He always puts his game face on during challenging times.
Other Ways to Say:
- Get serious
- Prepare mentally
- Focus up
25. Burn the candle at both ends
The meaning: To work excessively hard and exhaust oneself.
Origin: Same as idiom 18, included for emphasis.
In a sentence:
- She burned the candle at both ends during finals week.
- Don’t burn the candle at both ends or you’ll risk burnout.
- He’s been burning the candle at both ends trying to start his business.
Other Ways to Say:
- Overwork
- Work excessively
- Push too hard
✅ 10 Practice Exercises on Idioms for Hard Work (Fill in the Blanks)
Fill in the blanks with the correct idioms from the list above:
- She had to __________ to finish her thesis before the deadline.
- If you want to succeed, you must __________ and stay focused.
- Don’t forget to __________ or you might get exhausted.
- He decided to __________ and address the problem directly.
- To get promoted, you need to __________ and exceed expectations.
- We all have to __________ and contribute equally to the project.
- They __________ to meet the client’s demands on time.
- It’s important to __________ and mentally prepare before a big presentation.
- She really __________ when preparing for her exams.
- The team is ready to __________ and start the new project quickly.
Answer Key
- burn the midnight oil
- put your nose to the grindstone
- burn the candle at both ends
- take the bull by the horns
- go the extra mile
- pull your weight
- put your back into it
- put your game face on
- sweat blood
- hit the ground running
Idioms for Hard Work (Summary)
Now that you’ve learned these idioms for hard work, try using them in everyday conversations and writing.
The more you practice, the more natural they’ll become.
Keep exploring new idioms to level up your fluency and sound more like a native speaker.
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