Definitions

work on

VERB

annoy

Synonyms

STRONGEST

agitate bore bother displease disturb exasperate fire up gall irk peeve perturb rile trouble turn off vex worry

STRONG

abrade badger bedevil beleaguer break bug chafe distress get gnaw harass harry madden miff nag needle nettle nudge pester plague provoke ride ruffle tease

WEAK

T-off ask for it be at be on the back of burn up egg on heat up henpeck hit where one lives make waves push button tick off

Antonyms

STRONGEST

aid appease assist calm charm cheer comfort delight enchant help make happy please quiet reassure soothe

STRONG

mollify support

WEAK

gratify

VERB

badger

Synonyms

STRONGEST

annoy bully goad harass heckle hound pester tease torment

STRONG

bait bug eat harry hassle importune needle nudge plague ride

WEAK

give the business insist on

Antonyms

STRONGEST

aid delight help leave alone make happy please support

STRONG

assist

VERB

besiege

Synonyms

STRONGEST

beleaguer beset blockade encircle hem in trap

STRONG

assail attack confine congregate encompass environ invest

WEAK

come at from all sides lay siege to shut in work over

Antonyms

STRONGEST

let go

WEAK

leave alone

VERB

butter up

Synonyms

WEAK

adulate bootlick brown-nose build up cajole flatter inveigle lay it on thick massage play up to soften spread it on stroke suck up to sweet-talk

VERB

cajole

Synonyms

STRONGEST

deceive delude dupe entice entrap seduce tantalize tempt wheedle

STRONG

banter beguile blandish bootlick con induce influence inveigle jolly lure maneuver mislead oil push snow soap soft-soap soften stroke sweet-talk urge

WEAK

apple-polish argue into brown-nose butter up get around get next to hand a line lay it on thick make up to play up to rub the right way spread it on suck up to sweeten up work over

Antonyms

STRONG

discourage dissuade

WEAK

bully force

VERB

coax

Synonyms

STRONGEST

cajole entice induce tease tempt wheedle

STRONG

allure barter beguile blandish blarney decoy flatter get hook importune influence inveigle jawbone lure pester plague press soft-soap soothe sweet-talk urge wangle worm

WEAK

argue into arm-twist butter up con prevail upon rope in talk into

Antonyms

STRONGEST

discourage repel repulse turn off

STRONG

disenchant disgust dissuade please

WEAK

allow not care

VERB

drive

Synonyms

STRONGEST

chase encourage force herd inspire make motivate prompt propel push rush send spur stimulate

STRONG

actuate animate arouse bulldoze coerce compel constrain dog goad goose harass hasten hound hurl hurry hustle impel induce instigate kick nag oblige overburden overwork pound press pressure prod provoke railroad rouse shepherd shove steamroll worry

WEAK

act upon egg on lean on put up to ride herd on spirit up

Antonyms

STRONGEST

depress discourage dissuade halt prevent stop

STRONG

calm dally delay hinder impede leave alone let go please procrastinate pull rest slow wait

WEAK

check curb repress retard

VERB

flatter

Synonyms

STRONGEST

charm

STRONG

adulate blandish bootlick cajole con court fawn glorify grovel humor inveigle jolly oil overpraise praise salve sell snow soft-soap soften stroke sweet-talk toady wheedle

WEAK

brown-nose build up butter up cater to get next to lay it on thick play up to rub the right way spread it on suck up to sweeten up work over

Antonyms

STRONG

condemn ignore

WEAK

belittle castigate criticize denounce insult offend

VERB

harass

Synonyms

STRONGEST

burn hassle heckle hound intimidate persecute pester raid tease torment

STRONG

annoy attack bait bedevil beleaguer bother bug bullyrag despoil devil distress disturb eat exasperate exhaust fatigue foray gnaw harry irk irritate macerate maraud pain perplex plague ride strain stress tire trouble try vex weary worry

WEAK

get to give a bad time give a hard time jerk around noodge rattle one's cage

Antonyms

STRONGEST

aid assist delight encourage help make happy please

STRONG

activate assuage build calm clarify clear up comfort energize explain invigorate placate reassure refresh soothe support

WEAK

facilitate

VERB

importune

Synonyms

STRONG

appeal ask badger beg beseech beset besiege con crave dun entreat goose harass hound implore invoke nag persuade pester plague plead pray press sell solicit supplicate urge

WEAK

egg on

Antonyms

STRONG

aid answer assist command discourage dissuade give help leave alone please refuse reply

VERB

move

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bring carry convert drive lead operate propel push shift start turn

STRONG

activate actuate advocate affect agitate budge cause excite impel impress incite induce inspire inspirit instigate introduce persuade prompt propose quicken recommend rouse shove stimulate stir strike submit suggest sway touch urge

WEAK

bring up draw up get going give rise to play on prevail upon put forward tug at

Antonyms

STRONGEST

discourage dissuade hold keep lose remain repress stop

STRONG

calm delay dull halt hinder leave alone lull oppose prevent quiet slow suppress tranquilize

WEAK

dishearten fix pause stay

VERB

nag

Synonyms

STRONGEST

annoy badger berate fuss hector hound irk irritate pester scold tease torment vex

STRONG

bait bug dog eat egg goad harry heckle importune needle nudge plague prod provoke ride upbraid urge worry

WEAK

carp at find fault give a hard time pick at take it out on

Antonyms

STRONGEST

aid assist compliment delight help make happy please praise soothe

STRONG

discourage dissuade support

WEAK

assuage

VERB

pester

Synonyms

STRONGEST

annoy badger bedevil hassle hector hound irk nag tease torment

STRONG

beleaguer bug disturb dog fret harry importune insist nudge plague provoke remind ride tantalize worry

WEAK

be at drive crazy drive up the wall get at get in one's hair get on one's nerves get to mess with pick at

Antonyms

STRONGEST

delight make happy please

STRONG

aid appease assist calm comfort forget help pacify reassure soothe

VERB

press

Synonyms

STRONGEST

assail demand force petition push squeeze sue urge worry

STRONG

afflict beg beset besiege buttonhole compel constrain depress disquiet enjoin entreat exhort harass implore importune oppress plague plead pressurize railroad sadden sell supplicate torment vex

WEAK

come at insist on lean on weigh down

Antonyms

STRONGEST

give

STRONG

aid assist cheer comfort help please soothe

VERB

sway

Synonyms

STRONGEST

dominate impress inspire overrule persuade

STRONG

bias brainwash carry conduct control crack direct dispose get govern guide hook incline induce manage move predispose reign rule sell strike touch

WEAK

hold sway over impact on lead by the nose prevail on put across rule over soften up suck in turn one's head twist one's arm win over

Antonyms

STRONGEST

discourage dissuade

STRONG

misguide mislead neglect serve

WEAK

leave alone

VERB

sweet-talk

Synonyms

STRONG

allure barter beguile blandish blarney cajole con decoy entice flatter get honey up hook importune induce influence inveigle jawbone lure pester plague press soft-soap soothe tease tempt urge wangle wheedle worm

WEAK

argue into arm-twist butter up come on prevail upon rope in talk into

Antonyms

STRONG

discourage disenchant disgust dissuade please prevent repel repulse turn off

VERB

sweet-talk

Synonyms

STRONG

adulate blandish bootlick cajole charm con court fawn glorify grovel humor inveigle jolly massage oil overpraise praise salve sell soft-soap soften stroke toady wheedle

WEAK

brown-nose build up butter up cater to get next to lay it on thick play up to rub the right way spread it on suck up to sweeten up work over

Antonyms

STRONG

condemn ignore irritate repel turn off

VERB

tackle

Synonyms

STRONGEST

begin deal with engage in take on try undertake

STRONG

accept attack attempt essay launch

WEAK

apply oneself bang away at come to grips with devote oneself to embark upon give a try give a whirl go for it make a run at pitch into set about square off start the ball rolling take a shot at take in hand take on try on for size turn one's hand to turn to

Antonyms

STRONGEST

abstain complete conclude end finish

STRONG

be lazy

WEAK

avoid dodge forget idle neglect

VERB

wheedle

Synonyms

STRONGEST

cajole finagle

STRONG

banter blandish charm coax con court draw entice flatter inveigle kowtow oil persuade seduce snow soap soft-soap sweet-talk worm

WEAK

butter up lay it on soften up spread it on sweeten up

Antonyms

STRONG

dissuade

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.

Many analysts had been prevented from launching coverage of SpaceX until now due to rules that require banks to wait before issuing recommendations on initial public offerings that they work on.

From MarketWatch • Jul. 7, 2026

Toure is still raw and needs to work on various areas of his game, including his finishing.

From BBC • Jul. 5, 2026

Bulldozers are already at work on the resort, which the company touts as a “blend of elegance and adventure…where wilderness and refinement live side by side.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 5, 2026

Geng, who said he modeled his work on Bik’s, said one solution was to have each scientist’s experiments repeated by a colleague before publication.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 2, 2026

‘I’m sorry. Is there any chance you can manage without me? Gabi and I have got to work on our history project.’

From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler

work on

Example Sentences

Related Words