work your fingers to the bone
Meaning
To work extremely hard for a long time, often to the point of exhaustion.
Origin
A vivid hyperbole: working so hard that the flesh wears away and only bone remains. Variants like “to the bone” have been used since the 1800s to emphasize extreme effort or depletion.
Notes
Strong hyperbole stressing overwork/exhaustion. Can praise dedication or complain about being overworked; informal to neutral in tone.
Examples
-
My parents worked their fingers to the bone to give us a better life.
-
I’ve been working my fingers to the bone all week, and I still can’t catch up.
-
She worked her fingers to the bone to launch the business, but it finally paid off.
-
Don’t work your fingers to the bone for a company that won’t support you.
-
He worked his fingers to the bone on the renovation, doing everything himself.
Grammar & Usage Notes
Usually appears as “work/worked/working + your + fingers + to the bone.” Possessive can change (my/his/their). Often used with intensifiers (really, practically).
Synonyms
- work yourself to the bone
- work like a dog
- toil
- work tirelessly
Antonyms
- take it easy
- rest on your laurels
- slack off