overworked and underpaid
phrase · Collocation / phrase C2
Plain meaning
having too much work and receiving too little money for it
Exam-register meaning
In formal or high-level texts, it is used to describe having too much work and receiving too little money for it, often with a precise or specialised tone.
In context
naturalThe discussion gave us a useful example of overworked and underpaid.
examPolicy makers must consider overworked and underpaid when evaluating long-term social and economic outcomes.
Common collocations
overworked and underpaida clear example of overworked and underpaiduse overworked and underpaid appropriately
Watch out
Do not change the key word order in “overworked and underpaid”; collocations sound natural because the words travel together.