workhorse

American  

[wurk-hawrs] / ˈwɜrkˌhɔrs /

noun

1. a horse used for plowing, hauling, and other heavy labor, as distinguished from a riding horse, racehorse, etc.

2. a person who works tirelessly at a task, assumes extra duties, etc.

---

workhorse British  

/ ˈwɜːkˌhɔːs /

noun

1. a horse used for nonrecreational activities

2. informal a person who takes on the greatest amount of work in a project or job

---

Etymology

Origin of workhorse

First recorded in 1535–45; work + horse

Example Sentences

Known as a workhorse, she initially won broad praise for her handling of the Covid-19 pandemic in Denmark during her first term from 2019 to 2022.

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

Varda co-founder and Chief Executive Will Bruey is a former SpaceX avionics engineer, and the company’s spacecraft are launched on SpaceX’s workhorse Falcon 9 rockets from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 4, 2026

The workhorse of the fuel world was climbing on Monday following a drone strike on a major Saudi refinery.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 3, 2026

While the world kept close watch on climbing crude-oil prices on Monday, the so-called workhorse fuel of the industrial world was seeing a far more dramatic response as the Iran conflict reaches its third day.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 2, 2026

HeLa was a workhorse: it was hardy, it was inexpensive, and it was everywhere.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot