work ethic
Work ethic (noun) means a person's attitude to work, and how hard, reliably and conscientiously they apply themselves to it. Example: “Her work ethic is the reason she was promoted twice in a year.”
How to use work ethic
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishHow hard and reliably somebody works.
Two words, not one; "workethic" is always wrong. Almost always modified — a strong, poor or relentless work ethic — and a staple of job applications and references, where it risks sounding like filler unless backed by an example.
Work ethic is about attitude and consistency, not hours logged. Someone can work very long hours and still have a poor work ethic if the work is careless.
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Her _____ is the reason she was promoted twice in a year.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for work ethic
See all rhymes for work ethic →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between work ethic and work rate?
Work rate is how much you get through in a given time, a measure of output. Work ethic is the attitude behind it — turning up, taking care, finishing what you started. A high work rate with a weak work ethic produces fast, sloppy work.
How do you describe a strong work ethic on a CV?
Do not just claim it. Show it with something checkable: a deadline you met under pressure, a process you improved, a period of cover you took on. Recruiters treat the bare phrase "strong work ethic" as filler.
What is the Protestant work ethic?
It is the idea, associated with the sociologist Max Weber, that certain Protestant beliefs encouraged disciplined labour and thrift, and that this attitude helped shape modern capitalism. It is a much-debated historical argument, not a settled fact.
What is the meaning of work ethic?
"work ethic" (noun) means a person's attitude to work, and how hard, reliably and conscientiously they apply themselves to it.