work through

deal with a problem or difficult feeling step by step

B2

What does "work through sth" mean?

To work through something means to deal with a problem, difficult emotion, or challenging experience in a deliberate and active way — not just survive it, but consciously process it. The phrase carries a sense of effort and time: it suggests a journey rather than a quick fix. You might work through grief after a loss, work through anxiety before a big change, or work through relationship difficulties with a partner. It's especially common in supportive conversations, therapy contexts, and personal writing, where the focus is on the ongoing process of coming to terms with something. Because the process is rarely instant, you'll often hear it in the present continuous — 'I'm still working through it' — which captures that sense of something still in motion.

Examples

How to use it

work through + abstract noun

The most common pattern: the object is a psychological, emotional, or situational noun such as grief, anxiety, conflict, or a difficult period.

It took her several months to work through the anxiety she felt after losing her job.

work through + pronoun (it / them)

Pronouns are extremely natural here, especially 'it', and are common in reassuring or supportive speech.

I know things feel overwhelming right now, but you'll work through it.

work through + noun phrase (together / slowly / still)

Adverbs like 'together', 'slowly', or 'still' are frequently added to reinforce the gradual, ongoing nature of the process.

They decided to stay and work through their differences together rather than walk away.

be working through + noun

The present continuous is particularly natural with this phrasal verb because it emphasises that the process is still happening.

He's still working through some personal struggles, so he's been a bit quieter than usual.

work through + noun (without explicit object, when context is clear)

The object can be dropped entirely when the difficult situation is already understood from context, giving a natural intransitive feel.

It's been a tough few months, but she's slowly working through.

Common Collocations

grieftraumaemotionsa problemissuesfeelings

Common Mistakes

Separating the phrasal verb

Unlike some phrasal verbs, 'work through' in this emotional sense cannot be separated. Placing an object between 'work' and 'through' sounds unnatural to native speakers.

✗ She's trying to work her grief through.
✓ She's trying to work through her grief.
Confusing 'work through' with 'go through'

'Go through' simply describes experiencing something hard, while 'work through' emphasises the active, deliberate effort to process and resolve it. Using 'go through' when you mean deliberate effort loses that sense of engagement.

✗ After the break-up, she went through her feelings by seeing a therapist.
✓ After the break-up, she worked through her feelings by seeing a therapist.
Using it with a passive construction

Because the subject is always the person doing the active processing, 'work through' doesn't work naturally in the passive. The person dealing with the difficulty must be the grammatical subject.

✗ The grief was worked through over several years.
✓ She worked through the grief over several years.

Usage

This phrasal verb is especially common in therapeutic, counselling, and supportive everyday contexts. The present continuous ('I'm still working through it') is very natural because it emphasises the ongoing process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can 'work through' describe something that happens quickly?

Not really — this phrasal verb strongly implies a process that takes time and effort. If something is resolved instantly, 'work through' would sound odd. It fits best when describing something gradual and ongoing, which is why the present continuous ('I'm working through it') feels so natural.

Does 'work through' always involve emotions or can it describe other kinds of problems?

In this sense, it typically involves psychological, emotional, or relational difficulties — things like grief, anxiety, conflict, or personal struggles. When the object is something more concrete or task-based (like a list or a textbook), it's a different sense of the phrasal verb with a different meaning.

Is 'work through it' natural on its own, without saying what 'it' refers to?

Yes, very much so. 'Work through it' is one of the most idiomatic uses of this phrasal verb. It's especially common in supportive or reassuring statements where the difficult situation is already understood — for example, 'It won't be easy, but you'll work through it.'

What kinds of nouns go naturally with 'work through' in this sense?

The most natural objects are abstract or emotional nouns: grief, trauma, anxiety, anger, feelings, emotions, issues, conflict, loss, or a difficult period. These all suggest something psychological or relational that requires conscious effort to process. Concrete or physical nouns don't fit this particular sense.

Can 'work through' be used in the future tense?

Yes, both 'will work through' and 'going to work through' are perfectly natural — for example, 'We're going to work through this as a team.' The future perfect ('will have worked through') is grammatically possible but sounds strained and is rarely used in practice.

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