workweek
Americannoun
noun
Usage
What does workweek mean? The workweek is the span of (often five) days that are not the weekend—the days when many people work. The standard workweek is from Monday through Friday, with Saturday and Sunday being considered the weekend, though working schedules vary widely. Many full-time jobs consist of a 40-hour workweek (five eight-hour days). In this sense, the workweek consists of all the time spent working in a week. The workweek can also be called the working week. A day of the workweek can be called a workday. The word week can sometimes be used to refer to the workweek, as in I can’t wait for this week to be over so I can spend the weekend relaxing. (Otherwise, week most commonly refers to any period of seven consecutive days or to the seven-day period on the calendar that begins on Sunday and ends on Saturday). Example: I’m usually too busy to do any of my hobbies during the workweek, but that’s how I spend my weekends.
Etymology
Origin of workweek
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.
She set a high standard for the agency, pushing forward legislation establishing the 40-hour workweek and the National Labor Relations Board — and also creating Social Security.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026
AI “will affect virtually every function, application and process in the company,” Dimon says, adding that AI will eventually reduce the workweek in the developed world.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026
Bangladesh has shut universities and capped fuel prices; Pakistan has introduced a shortened workweek; and Thailand ordered civil servants to work from home.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 2, 2026
Sri Lanka has instituted a four-day workweek for state institutions and schools.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
The mine was ordered to go to a four-day workweek.
From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam
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.
