make-work
(chiefly, US) An activity or task assigned or undertaken for the sake of activity or busy-ness, rather than because of a particular need.
Definitions
(chiefly, US) An activity or task assigned or undertaken for the sake of activity or busy-ness, rather than because of a particular need.
I once described this rather vulgarly as a Euro-wanking make-work project and I do not resile from that.
“This is your brain on make-work economic policy”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
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Related terms
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Semantically related
- busy work79%
(idiomatic, chiefly, US) Work or activity performed with the intention or result of occupying time, and not necessarily to accomplish something productive; routine work of low priority undertaken for the sake of avoiding idleness.
- playwork67%
Work that is very easy or enjoyable.
- get busy67%
(informal) To cease to be idle and start working.
- work away66%
(intransitive) To persist in working diligently at a subject or target.
- muck about63%
(informal, intransitive) To do random unplanned work or spend time idly.