Phrase · B2 · Neutral · especially common in technical and workplace contexts
work around
wurk uh-ROUND Stress around; the object normally follows the complete verb: work around the problem.
Find a practical way to avoid or bypass a problem or limitation without removing it completely.
zaobići problem; naći alternativno rešenje; snaći se uprkos ograničenju
Use it
The elevator is closed, but we can work around the problem by using the service entrance.
The obstacle remains; the alternative route keeps the task possible.
We worked around everyone’s schedules and found one free hour on Friday.
The phrase can mean adapting to several constraints.
Build the sentence
work around + problem, restriction, schedule, or limitation
Memory scene
A roadblock stays in place, but a pencil draws a curved side road around it.
Watch out
This sense is transitive and not separable: work around it, not work it around. A workaround is the countable noun. Do not confuse it with work around the clock, meaning work continuously.
Nearby language
Very close for avoiding or solving an obstacle; work around often highlights a deliberately designed practical method.
More concise and technical, and sometimes suggests avoiding a rule rather than adapting responsibly.
Removes the underlying problem; working around it leaves the problem in place.
Make it yours
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