Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

donkey work

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.62 in modern English

Syllables: don-key -work
IPA

25

Scrabble Score

10

Letters

3

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Work that is difficult, boring, and routine.

Uncountable

Example Sentences

"Why does everyone else get the interesting work while I have to do all the donkey work, and even the company's dirty work?"
"Labi said she did not need to carry planks of wood on her head any more, it was donkey work for idiots"
"But what looks like donkeywork is a necessary step in a formulaic approach, a set of prescribed practices that have their own embedded wisdom."

Usage

Uncountable

Inflected Forms

donkey-work (alternative) donkeywork (alternative)

Phrases

collar-work God's work grunt work

Frequently Paired Words

collar-work God's work grunt work

Questions

What does donkey work mean?: Work that is difficult, boring, and routine.

How to pronounce donkey work

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “donkey work”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “donkey work”.
Repeat and practice — Say “donkey work” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.