spread the work

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "spread the work" is not correct in standard English; it likely intends to convey "spread the word." You can use it when you want to inform others about something or share information widely.
Example: "Please spread the word about the upcoming charity event so that we can gather more participants."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Wiki

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

25 human-written examples

Tonight, he tried to spread the work around more evenly.

The New York Times - Sports

Under pressure to contain soaring legal costs, corporations now spread the work around.

The New York Times

"And when it is, most dentists are willing to spread the work out over time".

The New York Times - Health

"It allows you to spread the work around where they all stay strong and stay healthy," Girardi said.

The New York Times

To save money, the government has decided to break up the FSS and spread the work it does among smaller companies.

The Guardian

You can spread the work out over a couple of days, putting the meat mixture together one day and baking it the next.

The New York Times - Food

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

32 human-written examples

Outsourcing helps keep costs down and spreads the work among more people.

The New Yorker

This spreads the work over time and ensures that there will be flowers on a majority of the plants.

The New York Times

The shorter workweek was designed to reduce the high unemployment rate in Germany, France and elsewhere by spreading the work among more people.

The New York Times

Spreading the work of 68 artists throughout an immense building, "Greater New York" conveys the impression that it is a wonderful thing to be young and making art in this city.

The New York Times - Arts

That industrialization process includes paring services jobs down to standardized, repeatable tasks; spreading the work around to world to where it can be done most efficiently and most inexpensively; and steadily automating simpler tasks with software.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When intending to convey the idea of task distribution, consider alternatives such as "distribute the tasks" or "delegate responsibilities" for greater clarity.

Common error

While sometimes used to mean informing others, "spread the work" typically refers to distributing tasks. Use "spread the word" when you want to disseminate information.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "spread the work" functions as a directive, urging the distribution of tasks or effort among multiple entities. As Ludwig AI highlights, this is not standard English but frequently used. Examples in Ludwig illustrate its application across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Encyclopedias

10%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

While the phrase "spread the work" is commonly used, Ludwig AI indicates that it is not considered grammatically correct in standard English. It generally refers to distributing tasks or responsibilities, but its meaning can be ambiguous. For clearer communication, it's best to use more precise alternatives such as "distribute the tasks", "delegate responsibilities", or "share the workload". When the intention is to disseminate information, "spread the word" is the appropriate choice. Despite its frequent use, particularly in news and business contexts, aiming for grammatical precision will enhance clarity and credibility. Ludwig's examples showcase the phrase's prevalence, but also highlight the importance of choosing more accurate and standard alternatives for professional writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

spread the jobs

Focuses specifically on distributing employment opportunities.

disseminate the information

Emphasizes the distribution of knowledge or data rather than tasks.

spread the word

Emphasizes promoting or making something widely known.

distribute the tasks

Focuses on allocating specific duties or assignments.

delegate responsibilities

Involves entrusting specific duties and accountability to others.

allocate resources

Highlights the distribution of materials, finances, or personnel.

share the workload

Emphasizes the collaborative aspect of dividing tasks.

divvy up the work

An informal way to describe dividing labor.

share the burden

Suggests distributing a challenging or difficult task.

farm out the tasks

Suggests outsourcing or contracting out specific jobs.

FAQs

What does "spread the work" mean?

While not grammatically standard, "spread the work" generally means to distribute tasks or responsibilities among multiple people or entities.

Is it correct to use "spread the work"?

According to Ludwig AI, the phrase "spread the work" is not correct in standard English. It's advisable to use more precise alternatives such as "distribute the tasks" or "delegate responsibilities".

When should I use "spread the word" instead of "spread the work"?

Use "spread the word" when you want to disseminate information or make something widely known. "Spread the work" implies distributing tasks, not information.

What are some alternatives to "spread the work"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "share the workload", "allocate resources", or "delegate responsibilities".