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Synonyms

legwork

American  
[leg-wurk] / ˈlɛgˌwɜrk /

noun

  1. work or research involving extensive walking or traveling about, usually away from one's office, as in gathering data for a book, a legal action, etc.

  2. action of the legs as executed by an athlete, dancer, etc.

legwork British  
/ ˈlɛɡˌwɜːk /

noun

  1. informal work that involves travelling on foot or as if on foot

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of legwork

An Americanism dating back to 1890–95; leg + work

Explanation

If you've ever spent time doing research, or trying to get information from people, you'll understand why we call it legwork: It's something that takes physical effort, and it usually means you have to get out from behind a desk. Legwork refers to the work that happens when a project is in an early stage. You could be asking people for interviews, collecting information, conducting surveys — the possibilities are endless! It's called legwork because it contrasts with sitting down to write up what you found out. These days, though, a lot of legwork also happens from behind a desk: If you're gathering information or other material for a project, you can still call it legwork, even if you didn't travel or walk around to do it.

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Mr. Lendorf stood out for his unerring, dignified demeanor and the clarity of his pliant upper-body carriage against the marvelous surety of his cats-paw footwork and quietly powerful legwork.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 20, 2026

But it isn’t straightforward, and it will require legwork.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 14, 2025

Leading up to the draft, Horn’s situation also required extra scouting legwork.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 28, 2025

The Netflix film pushes into the foreground some of those who make the news but don't make the news - the behind-the-scenes producers and those who do the legwork of booking guests.

From BBC • Apr. 5, 2024

Anyway, Dad has been asking questions lately that require a little more legwork around the house.

From "Doing Time Online" by Jan Siebold

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.