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Definition of outwork

outwork

/ˌaʊtˈwɜːrk/
out · work

Plural:outworks
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Past Simple:outworked
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Past Participle:outworked
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Present Participle:outworking
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outwork Lexical Profile

outwork Game Scores & Validity

• verb

1

To work harder, faster, or more effectively than someone else.

Example

"She may not have had the most natural talent on the roster, but she consistently outworked every other player during practice."

Synonyms
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• noun

1

Paid work carried out away from a central workplace or factory, typically in a worker's own home.

Example

"Before modern factories were established, many rural families relied on textile outwork to supplement their seasonal farm income."


2

A minor or subsidiary fortification built beyond the main defensive perimeter of a fortress or castle.

Example

"Archaeologists uncovered the stone foundations of an 18th-century outwork several hundred yards ahead of the main citadel walls."

Synonyms
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• Rhymes for outwork

Word Origin & Etymology

Formed in English from the prefix 'out-' and 'work'; the verb dates to the late 16th century, while the fortification noun sense was modeled on Dutch 'buitenwerk' in the early 17th century.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020

Cite this Entry


Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Outwork. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/outwork
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