public works

American  

plural noun

1. structures, as roads, dams, or post offices, paid for by government funds for public use.

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public works British  

plural noun

1. engineering projects and other constructions, financed and undertaken by a government for the community

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public works Cultural  

1. Public facilities and improvements financed by the government for the public good. Public works include hospitals, bridges, highways, and dams. These projects may be funded by local, state, or federal appropriations. (See also pork-barrel legislation.)

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Etymology

Origin of public works

First recorded in 1670–80

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

public works

Its contract with the project builders was drafted by the law firm Nossaman, whose expertise covered such public-private public works.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026

That meant governments had to compensate people if public works like roads and aerodromes affected the value of property.

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026

The Federal Highway Act was designed to create 41,000 miles of highway, making it the largest U.S. public works program at the time, and authorized $33 billion of road building over 13 years.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026

Two blocks of municipal land, including the village office, council chambers, public works facilities, and a recreation center, sit directly above a former mine site.

From Science Daily ● May 6, 2026

The Interstate Highway Act brought autobahns to the United States and became the largest public works project in the nation’s history, building 46,000 miles of road with more than $130 billion of federal money.

From "Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal" by Eric Schlosser