workhorse

American  

[wurk-hawrs] / ˈwɜrkˌhɔrs /

noun

• workhorses
  plural

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.

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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

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• workhorses
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of workhorse

First recorded in 1535–45; work + horse

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

workhorse workhorses

Diesel, in turn, is overshadowed by gasoline in the public conversation, but “is really the workhorse fuel,” he said.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 10, 2026

Coming into Thursday, SpaceX had launched its workhorse Falcon 9 rocket 103 times in 2026.

From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026

But unlike eloquent politicians known to be showhorses, enjoying the social media clips from their media hits, El-Sayed is a workhorse, and this combination makes him formidable.

From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2026

Its rocket business revenue rose 29% to $962 million, as its smaller workhorse Falcon 9 rocket continues to dominate the launch business.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

Rocin is a Spanish word that means "nag" or "workhorse"; and antes means "before."

From "Adventures of Don Quixote" by Argentina Palacios

Both Jackson and Collins have reputations not as expert orators chasing the political spotlight, but as workhorses focused on getting results.

From Salon ● Oct. 12, 2026

They intend to lean heavily on their starting pitchers in an age when they have been transformed from workhorses into show ponies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

Guggenheim thinks that GLP1s will remain the workhorses in obesity for the foreseeable future.

From Barron's ● Jan. 12, 2026

Gus Atkinson and Carse could be the workhorses of the tour.

From BBC ● Nov. 21, 2025

It was pulled by a pair of heavy-boned workhorses, with broad chests and sturdy, thick-furred legs that churned like pistons.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood

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