Vocapedia
Log inTry for Free

Looking up...

Explore

  • Words of the Year
  • Recent Lookups
  • Community Collections
  • How to Say

Dictionaries

  • English
  • Vietnamese
  • Japanese
  • Chinese
  • Spanish
  • French
  • Korean
  • German
  • Hindi
  • Italian

MY LEARNING

  • My Dictionary
  • My Collections
  • Reviews

Resources

  • Learning Resources
  • How It Works
  • Study Guides
  • Language Tips
  • FAQ
  • Getting Started
  • For Individuals
  • For Teachers

Community

  • Forum
  • Blog
  • Help Center
  • Partnerships

About

  • About Vocapedia
  • Contact Us
  • Feedback

Legal

  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Accessibility
  • GDPR Compliance
© 2026 Vocapedia. All rights reserved.
  1. Home /
  2. Dictionaries /
  3. English Dictionary /
  4. put in extra effort

put in extra effort

/pʊt ɪn ˈɛkstrə ˈɛfərt/
make additional effort

She put in extra effort to finish the project on time.

She made additional effort to complete the project by the deadline.


informal

To expend additional time, energy, or resources beyond what is normally required to achieve a goal or complete a task.

The team put in extra effort to meet the tight deadline.

The team worked harder than usual to complete the task before the deadline.

Students who put in extra effort often achieve better grades.

Students who study more than required tend to perform better academically.

This phrase is commonly used in both personal and professional contexts to describe going beyond the minimum expected effort.

Collocations

put in extra effort toto make additional effort for a specific purposeput in extra effort forto make additional effort for someone or something

Synonyms

go the extra mileput in overtimeexert additional effortmake an extra push

Antonyms

do the bare minimumput in minimal effortcoast through

Related Phrases

go the extra mileidiom
to make a special or additional effort
put in overtimephrase
to work beyond regular hours

Pro Tip

Usage in Professional Settings

This phrase is often used in work environments to describe employees who contribute beyond their job requirements.

Gold Rule

Avoid Overuse

While this phrase is positive, overusing it can make it lose its impact. Use it to highlight truly exceptional effort.

Word Origin

The phrase is a combination of the verb 'put' meaning to apply or direct, 'in' indicating direction, and 'extra effort' meaning additional exertion. It has been used in English for decades to describe going beyond standard expectations.

Usage Notes

This phrase is versatile and can be used in various contexts, including work, education, and personal goals. It emphasizes the idea of voluntary additional effort rather than obligatory overtime.

Word Breakdown

put
to apply or direct
verb
+
in
direction or inclusion
preposition
+
extra
additional or beyond what is usual
adjective
+
effort
physical or mental exertion
noun
English Dictionary
Browse more English→English words →

Learning Progress

Track your learning journey!

• Save words to build your vocabulary

• Monitor your daily streak

• Get personalized review reminders

• See words learned statistics

Log in to access advanced features and track your progress!

Go to Dashboard →

Words of the Year

The most notable words that defined each year. Discover the vocabulary that shaped our world.