pull one's own weight
Carry one's load
To pull one's own weight is to contribute fairly to a shared effort—to do one's share of work rather than relying on others.
The phrase evokes crew members rowing together, each responsible for moving their portion of the load: Everyone on this team needs to pull their own weight.
Someone who doesn't is a freeloader or slacker.
- hard workSustained strenuous effort
- work ethicDedication to doing one's job
- mutual supportAid flowing both directions
- shoulder to shoulderAdjacent and aligned laterally
- accountabilityObligation for one's actions
cooperation · obligation · diligence · shared goals · do one's part · fair share · self-reliance · industriousness · fairness · interdependence · duty · dependability · team player · partnership · coordination · initiative · contribution · chip in