workaholic

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "workaholic" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe someone who is excessively focused on work, often at the expense of personal life. Example: "She is such a workaholic that she rarely takes time off." Alternative expressions include "work addict" and "work enthusiast."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Shakespeare's image of the king has certainly been altered but to workaholic, rather than villain.

The Economist

Daughter For a workaholic, No 10 was the perfect home: a staircase of just 17 steps led from the private flat to the prime minister's study on the first floor.

The Guardian

But it might be just the ticket for a workaholic prime minister needing to get away from it all.

The Guardian

"You can make a real effort to, say, improve your social relationships or stop being a workaholic, and you might manage that for a while," Nettle says.

The Guardian

Schürrle has plenty to add to his game – Eto'o's goal was his first assist for Chelsea in 28 games – but it isn't hard to see what Mourinho, connoisseur of the workaholic inverted winger, sees in him.

The Guardian - Sport

They have known each other a long time and get on well, as two marathon-running, workaholic technocrats might be expected to.

The Economist

Boyish, intense, workaholic, American-educated and fluent in English, he comes across as what he once was: a sales manager for IBM.

The Economist

THANKS mainly to their workaholic new chairman, Wolfgang Schäuble, Germany's Christian Democrats have bounced back surprisingly well from their thumping defeat in the general election seven months ago.

The Economist

A notorious workaholic, he often extols the dignity of labour.

The Economist

Even for a workaholic such as Mr Rudd, this proved optimistic.

The Economist

A workaholic, he tended to control government as a one-man band, running the public service in Canberra ragged and shutting some colleagues out of key decisions.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "workaholic" when you want to emphasize the compulsive or potentially unhealthy nature of someone's work habits. In modern professional contexts, it is often used as a 'backhanded compliment', but in psychological contexts, it refers to a genuine lack of work-life balance.

Common error

Avoid using "workaholic" as a simple synonym for being productive. While a "productive person" manages time well to achieve results, a "workaholic" is defined by the inability to stop working, often to the detriment of their health and social life. Using the term too loosely can dilute its descriptive power regarding burnout.

Linguistic Context

The word "workaholic" functions primarily as a noun (referring to the person) and occasionally as an adjective (referring to the lifestyle). It is a portmanteau or blend of 'work' and 'alcoholic', following a pattern of suffixation that has spawned other words like 'shopaholic'. Ludwig AI confirms its status as a standard term in modern English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Formal & Business

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Less common in

Science

2%

Social Media

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The term "workaholic" is a well-established part of the English lexicon, used to describe an individual's compulsive relationship with their job. According to Ludwig, the word appears frequently in high-quality journalism to describe high-profile figures, from politicians like Gordon Brown to artistic geniuses like Bach. While it is morphologically linked to addiction ('-aholic'), its usage in the real world spans from critical social observation to ironic self-deprecation. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is grammatically correct and widely accepted across all major writing styles, making it a reliable choice for describing intense professional dedication, whether viewed as a virtue or a vice.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

work addict

Uses a more clinical and literal description of the compulsive behavior

hard worker

Removes the negative connotation of addiction, focusing instead on effort and diligence

driven individual

Focuses on the internal motivation and ambition behind the work habits

overachiever

Emphasizes the results and the drive to exceed standards rather than the hours spent working

grinder

Informal term that highlights the repetitive and often exhausting nature of the work

eager beaver

Idiomatic expression describing someone overly zealous or enthusiastic about tasks

busybee

Metaphorical and more lighthearted way to describe someone constantly active

toiler

Classic literary term emphasizing the physical or mental exhaustion of hard labor

laborious person

Shifts to a more formal, adjective-based description of one's character

occupationalist

More academic and rare term focusing on the preoccupation with professional life

FAQs

How to use "workaholic" in a sentence?

You can use it as a noun to describe a person, such as: "He is a total workaholic who never takes a weekend off." Ludwig shows it is often preceded by adjectives like 'notorious' or 'self-confessed'.

What can I say instead of "workaholic"?

You can use alternatives like "work addict", "hard worker", or "overachiever" depending on the context.

Is "workaholic" a positive or negative word?

The term is generally negative or neutral. While some use it to show off their "ambition", it technically implies an addiction, suggesting a lack of balance compared to a "dedicated employee".

What is the difference between a "workaholic" and a "hard worker"?

A "hard worker" is someone who puts in great effort to achieve a goal, whereas a "workaholic" feels a compulsion to work even when it is not necessary or is harmful.