work off

British  

verb

1. to get rid of or dissipate, as by effort

   he worked off some of his energy by digging the garden

2. to discharge (a debt) by labour rather than payment

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work off Idioms  

1. Get rid of by work or effort, as in They worked off that big dinner by running on the beach, or It'll take him months to work off that debt. [Second half of 1600s]

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Example Sentences

He thinks this is partly because AI took so much scut work off people’s plates that their days became consumed by high-level thinking—and they were burning out.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 8, 2026

King's pioneering work off the court paid off: women now receive equal prize money to the men at each of the four majors.

From Barron's • Dec. 27, 2025

Before the vote, one source told me about the concept of a good defeat - something the party could work off.

From BBC • Oct. 24, 2025

New Mexico became the first state to ban lunch shaming in 2017, and others followed with laws against tactics like throwing away food, stamping students’ hands or making them work off debt with “chores.”

From Salon • Sep. 11, 2025

I say a prayer for Myrlie Evers, wishing I’d had work off to go to the funeral.

From "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett