How to Use make short/quick/light work of in a Sentence

make short/quick/light work of

idiom
Definition of make short/quick/light work ofnext
  • All have their merits and make short work of the catch.
    — Washington Post, 21 May 2021
  • Against Wolf, de Minaur had five aces in the first set to make quick work of the local favorite.
    — James Weber, The Enquirer, 16 Aug. 2023
  • Or give the whole plant a quick rinse in the shower to make short work of cleaning off foliage.
    — Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Nov. 2021
  • This allows the Voyager to make quick work of hills and steep inclines.
    — Kevin Brouillard, Travel + Leisure, 9 Feb. 2024
  • Logic would dictate a No. 1 seed should make quick work of a No. 8, but ...
    — Scott Horner, The Indianapolis Star, 1 June 2023
  • Yes, the Cats were expected to make quick work of their mid-major foe.
    — Arkansas Online, 9 Nov. 2022
  • The strong late spring sun will make short work of any fog, clearing it out easily by the end of the commute.
    — oregonlive, 16 June 2021
  • Ukraine will make short work of them, we were told on a Zoom call with the mayor of the neighboring city of Mykolaiv.
    — Greg Palkot, Fox News, 12 Nov. 2022
  • Make sure to also pack pruning shears and a pruning knife to make short work of cutting stalks and vines.
    — Mallory Arnold, Outside Online, 11 Jan. 2023
  • While the rows of razor-sharp teeth can pierce even the thickest whale hide, orcas make quick work of the sharks by flipping them over.
    — Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2022
  • That means picking up an electric chainsaw, which can make light work of the debris in your yard.
    — Brandon Russell, Popular Mechanics, 14 Aug. 2023
  • All can make short work of a coconut, a butternut squash, or a chicken in need of a spatchcock.
    — Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 19 Nov. 2023
  • What to know: The Utes return home from last week’s close defeat at Florida and should make short work of the Thunderbirds.
    — USA TODAY, 11 Sep. 2022
  • Suffice to say, a sinister presence with a nice set of chompers is lurking in the cargo hold, and is able to make short work of the doomed crew.
    — Brent Lang, Variety, 11 Aug. 2023
  • If Fields is out, the Jets’ defense will make quick work of chopping through the Bears’ terrible offensive line.
    — David Hill, New York Times, 24 Nov. 2022
  • With a 24 inch clearing width and a 14-inch auger inside a very tall housing, the Platinum will make quick work of clearing snow from large areas.
    — Ben Romans, Field & Stream, 4 Jan. 2024
  • Using an electric citrus juicer will make quick work of hollowing out the lemon, lime and orange halves.
    — Tina Martinez, Good Housekeeping, 17 Apr. 2023
  • The Lions were able to make short work of Baldwin County in the sixth inning with six runs to complete a mercy-rule victory.
    — Evan Dudley, al, 23 Apr. 2023
  • Our experts point out the impressive 500 CFMs of airflow, helping make short work of heavy leaf clearing.
    — Dan Diclerico, Good Housekeeping, 30 Aug. 2022
  • Floor scrubbers make short work of cleaning up messes and grime without reducing the quality of the clean.
    — Tom Price, Popular Mechanics, 25 Aug. 2023
  • The food processor can also make quick work of grating cheese or cutting butter into flour for pie crusts.
    — Becky Krystal, Washington Post, 8 Jan. 2024
  • The medium-heavy power spinning rod that will make quick work of a channel catfish in the local pond, for example, won’t stand a chance against a blue or flathead.
    — Pete M. Anderson, Field & Stream, 28 Sep. 2023
  • These devices can make light work of stubborn grime, remove years of nastiness in minutes, and restore your surfaces to looking close to brand new.
    — Brandon Russell, Popular Mechanics, 11 July 2023
  • In the quarterfinals, Brazil will be expected to make short work of an aging Croatia.
    — Rory Smith, New York Times, 7 Dec. 2022
  • Parts of Washington County were covered in early morning fog prior to 6 a.m., but the stronger spring sun should make short work of any fog cover by mid morning.
    — oregonlive, 9 May 2023
  • In the mountains, the Turbo GT’s standard rear-wheel steering and active roll control team up to make quick work of tight hairpins, flowing esses, and long sweepers alike.
    — Dan Edmunds, Car and Driver, 25 Nov. 2022
  • Cordless leaf blowers make quick work of cleaning up leaves, but wading through all the options online can feel overwhelming.
    — Megan Boettcher, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 June 2023
  • This will make quick work of whatever glaze still exists on your tub’s surface, allowing the new finish to adhere more smoothly.
    — Alyssa Longobucco, House Beautiful, 17 Oct. 2022
  • These handy devices make short work of bite-sized tree chunks into something your stove or fireplace can easily digest without having to work up too much of a sweat.
    — The Editors, Outdoor Life, 22 Nov. 2020
  • Shopping for a smart robot vacuum that will make short work of dust, dirt and other debris that has accumulated on your floors?
    — Shayna Murphy, USA TODAY, 3 Sep. 2020

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'make short/quick/light work of.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Last Updated: