1.
to solve or calculate something
“Can you work out the answer?”
“I couldn't work out the puzzle.”
Synonyms: to figure out, to solve
Phrasal verb
What does work out mean?
Meaning: to find the answer to something; to exercise
B1
This page for:
Quick answer
Work out = to find the answer to a problem (by thinking or counting) or to exercise (sport). Work out the answer = find the answer. I work out at the gym = I do exercise at the gym.
Meanings of the phrasal verb
2.
to do physical exercise
“I work out three times a week.”
“She works out at the gym.”
Synonyms: to exercise, to train
3.
to end well; to succeed
common“It all worked out in the end.”
“Things didn't work out between them.”
Word order
Separable
The object can go between the verb and the particle. With a pronoun (it, them), it always goes between.
Forms
- Present Simple:
- work out
- Past Simple:
- worked out
- Past participle:
- worked out
- -ing form:
- working out
Common mistakes to avoid
Meaning 1 (to solve): separable
To mean solve, it is separable: work out the answer / work the answer out / work it out. With a pronoun, never work out it ❌.
Meaning 2 (sport): no object
To mean do exercise, there is no object: I work out ✓. Not I work out my body ❌. To say which part of the body, use exercise or train: I train my legs.
Practice quiz
Question 1 / 3The Big Challenge question bank
Related pages: work out
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
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Frequently asked questions
What does work out mean?+
Work out has three common meanings: (1) to find the answer to a problem, or to calculate something; (2) to do physical exercise; (3) to end well (a plan, a relationship).
What is the difference between work out and figure out?+
Both mean to understand or to solve. Work out often means that you think step by step or do a calculation. Figure out is more informal and more general. I worked out the sum / I figured out what she meant.
What is a workout?+
A workout (one word) is a session of physical exercise. I had a great workout = I did a lot of good exercise. It is a noun that comes from meaning 2.
Is work out separable?+
Meaning 1 (to solve) is separable: work out the cost / work the cost out / work it out. Meaning 2 (sport) has no object. Meaning 3 has no object either.
What does “it didn't work out” mean?+
It means that something did not end well: It didn't work out between us = our relationship did not succeed. This is meaning 3. People often use it for relationships, projects and plans that fail.
Related phrasal verbs
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/phrasal-verbs/work-out
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.