work ethic

American

[wurk eth-ik] / ˈwɜrk ˌɛθ ɪk /

noun

a belief in the moral benefit and importance of work and its inherent ability to strengthen character.

work ethic British

noun

a belief in the moral value of work (often in the phrase Protestant work ethic )

"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 work ethic

First recorded in 1950–55

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.

We’ve worked hard for 18 years to instill a strong work ethic and teach budgeting skills, and I don’t want to see that undone.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 26, 2026

Tech billionaires looking to burnish their image seem to believe that the work ethic is an expendable feature of a free-market society.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

The Wales back three were prominent with Josh Adams and Rees-Zammit dangerous with ball in hand, while Mee demonstrated a tireless work ethic in arguably his finest game for Wales.

From BBC • Mar. 14, 2026

"Rondale had a work ethic unmatched by anyone," Brohm said.

From Barron's • Feb. 22, 2026

My parents had instilled in me a strong work ethic and a nothing-but-the-best mentality.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad

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