1 B1 neutral
To continue working steadily and diligently for an extended period.
"She worked away at the report all afternoon and finally finished it just before dinner."
inseparable
work away
B1 neutral inseparable intransitive
To continue working steadily and persistently, often for a long time.
In plain English
To just keep on working without stopping.
What does "work away" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 neutral
To work in a different location, away from one's home, often for extended periods.
"My dad worked away during the week and only came home on weekends."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To work while moving 'away' — the adverb adds a sense of continuous motion or continuation.
Actually means
To just keep on working without stopping.
Usage tip
Often used with 'at' or 'on' after it ('working away at her essay'). Conveys a sense of quiet, diligent, sustained effort. Can sound affectionate or admiring when describing someone's work ethic. Also commonly used for a person who travels to a different location for work ('He works away a lot').
Words that pair with "work away"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
quietly steadily happily busily diligently all day
How to conjugate "work away"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
work away
I/you/we/they
3rd person
works away
he/she/it
Past simple
worked away
yesterday
Past participle
worked away
have + pp
-ing form
working away
continuous
Hear "work away" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "work away" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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