Work through meaning
Work through means to do every part of something, one after another, until it is finished. It can also mean to deal with a difficult problem or feeling step by step.
work through something
work through · worked · working
We worked through the exercises on page 20.
Work through meanings and examples
3 meanings, each with its own CEFR level. A level marked ~ is our estimate: Oxford and Cambridge give none for that meaning.
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1
Do every part of something, one after another, until it is finished
work through something
- We worked through the exercises on page 20.
- I’m slowly working through my emails.
- Have you worked through the whole book yet?
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2
Deal with a difficult problem or feeling step by step
work through something
- They talked to a counsellor to work through their problems.
- It takes time to work through your grief.
- It’s a hard time, but let’s work through this together.
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3
Keep working without stopping for a break
work through
- I worked through lunch to finish the report.
- The team worked through the night.
- Don’t work through your breaks every day.
Café orders
New friends
At the airport
Slova
Use work through in real conversations
- Learn new words with picture cards
- Talk with Felix, an AI tutor, about the things you love
- Short lessons at your level, a few minutes a day
Is work through separable?
Work through is not separable. The thing comes after through: work through the list, work through it.
With a time like lunch or the night, work through means work without a break. Talk someone through something is different; it means explain each step to them.
Verb tenses for work through
| Present | I work through · she works through |
|---|---|
| Past | worked through |
| Present perfect | have worked through |
| -ing form | working through |
Common mistakes with work through
What learners often say, and what to say instead.
Wrong: There are 30 questions. Let’s work them through.
Right: There are 30 questions. Let’s work through them.
Work through is not separable. The pronoun goes after through.
Wrong: I worked through to fix the problem.
Right: I worked through the problem.
Put the problem straight after work through.
Wrong: She worked trough the night.
Right: She worked through the night.
The word is through. A trough is a box for animal food.
Synonyms and opposites of work through
Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.
Similar
- go throughlook at each part, or experience something hard
- deal withtake action to solve a problem
- get throughfinish a lot of work, or survive a hard time
Opposite
- skipleave out parts and not do them
- take a breakstop working for a short time
Work through quiz
Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
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1The teacher told us to ___ all the questions in order.
Work through means do every part one after another.
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2Choose the right sentence.
Work through is not separable.
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3“I worked through lunch today.” What did the speaker do?
Work through a break means keep working without stopping.
More phrasal verbs with work
4 phrasal verbs start with work. Test yourself on all of them in a few minutes.
Work through FAQ
Questions people ask about work through.
What does work through your feelings mean?
It means deal with sad or difficult feelings step by step until you feel better, often by talking about them.
Work through vs go through: what is the difference?
Both can mean look at each part. Go through can also mean experience something hard: She went through a divorce. Work through stresses the effort to deal with it.
Is working through lunch a good idea?
Many people do it, but doctors say short breaks help you work better. You can say: I’m too busy, so I’ll work through lunch.
Use work through in real conversations
In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.