Overtime: Meaning, Usage, and Examples

Meaning 1：overtime (Overtime)

Overtime 🔊

/ˈoʊvərtaɪm/

n., adv.

The time you work beyond your normal working hours.

overtime 🔊

➕

/ˈoʊvərtaɪm/

n., adv.

The time worked beyond the standard working hours, often compensated at a higher pay rate.

📁 Category：Social Economy 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

Over (beyond) + time. Combined to mean time worked beyond the standard schedule.

💡 Mnemonic

Over the normal time = extra pay.

📖 Example

She worked a lot of overtime this month to finish the project before the deadline. 🔊 She worked a lot of overtime this month to finish the project before the deadline.

🔗 Collocations

work overtime – work overtime

paid overtime – paid overtime

overtime pay – overtime pay

🔄 Synonyms

extra hours (n.) – Additional hours worked beyond the regular schedule.

additional work (n.) – Extra tasks performed outside normal working hours.

🚫 Antonyms

regular hours (n.) – Standard working hours without extra time.

standard time (n.) – The usual duration of work without overtime.

📖 Cultural Story

The term gained prominence during the Industrial Revolution when factory workers were compensated for extra hours. It became codified in labor laws in the early 20th century.