Phrase guide

donkey work

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

Work that is difficult, boring, and routine.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, uncountable

Examples

  • Why does everyone else get the interesting work while I have to do all the donkey work, and even the company's dirty work?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

9 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Czech: mravenčí práce — hard, boring, routine work
  • Greek: αγγαρεία (angareía) — hard, boring, routine work
  • Irish: sclábhaíocht — hard, boring, routine work
  • Manx: tooilleil — hard, boring, routine work
  • Persian: خرکاری — hard, boring, routine work
  • Polish: robota głupiego — hard, boring, routine work
  • Polish: czarna robota — hard, boring, routine work
  • Turkish: angarya — hard, boring, routine work
  • Ottoman Turkish: حماللق (hamallık) — hard, boring, routine work