Definitions

burn the midnight oil

VERB

work hard

Synonyms

WEAK

bear down cram do double duty elucubrate grind lucubrate overwork study sweat and slave toil away work day and night work late work like a dog work overtime

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.

Yet those who do choose to burn the midnight oil could end up paying a heavy price.

From BBC

"I believe when he talks of work, it's not limited to the company. It extends to yourself and to your country. He hasn't said work 70 hours for the company - work 40 hours for the company but work 30 hours for yourself. Invest the 10,000 hours that makes one a master in one's subject. Burn the midnight oil and become an expert in your field," he posted on X.

From BBC

Yes, Swift chose to burn the midnight oil to spill her album's secrets, night after night, in keeping with its theme — but fans didn't have to choose to stay up.

From Salon

Those familiar with Duterte say his nocturnal schedule forces those around him — from staff to the press corps — to burn the midnight oil.

From Washington Post

Another cup of coffee — or an early happy hour over Zoom — helps burn the midnight oil.

From New York Times