work
noun
work
1 American
[wurk]
/ wɜrk /
noun
-
works
plural
-
exertion or effort directed to produce or accomplish something; labor; toil.
-
productive or operative activity.
- Synonyms:
- business, occupation, industry
-
employment, as in some form of industry, especially as a means of earning one's livelihood.
to look for work.
- Synonyms:
- profession, vocation, calling, trade, job
-
one's place of employment.
Don't phone him at work.
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something on which exertion or labor is expended; a task or undertaking.
The students finished their work in class.
- Synonyms:
- responsibility, job, assignment, enterprise
-
materials, things, etc., on which one is working or is to work.
-
the result of exertion, labor, or activity; a deed or performance.
- Synonyms:
- feat, achievement, product
-
a product of exertion, labor, or activity.
musical works.
-
Often works. an engineering structure, as a building or bridge.
-
a building, wall, trench, or the like, constructed or made as a means of fortification.
-
works,
-
(used with a singular or plural verb) a place or establishment for manufacturing (often used in combination).
ironworks.
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the working parts of a machine.
the works of a watch.
-
Theology. righteous deeds.
-
-
Physics. force times the distance through which it acts; specifically, the transference of energy equal to the product of the component of a force that acts in the direction of the motion of the point of application of the force and the distance through which the point of application moves.
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Informal. the works,
-
everything; all related items or matters.
a hamburger with the works.
-
harsh or cruel treatment.
to give someone the works.
-
adjective
-
of, for, or concerning work.
work clothes.
verb (used without object)
-
works,
present (3rd person singular)
-
worked,
past participle, past
-
wrought,
past participle, past (Archaic)
-
working
present participle
-
to do work; labor.
-
to be employed, especially as a means of earning one's livelihood.
He hasn't worked for six weeks.
-
to be in operation, as a machine.
The water should not be disconnected while the pump is working.
-
to act or operate effectively.
We all agree that this plan works.
-
to attain a specified condition, as by repeated movement.
The nails worked loose.
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to have an effect or influence, as on a person or on the mind or feelings of a person.
-
to move in agitation, as the features under strong emotion.
-
to make way with effort or under stress.
The ship works to windward.
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Nautical. to give slightly at the joints, as a vessel under strain at sea.
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Machinery. to move improperly, as from defective fitting of parts or from wear.
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to undergo treatment by labor in a given way.
This dough works slowly.
-
to ferment, as a liquid.
verb (used with object)
-
works,
present (3rd person singular)
-
worked,
past participle, past
-
wrought,
past participle, past (Archaic)
-
working
present participle
-
to use or manage (an apparatus, contrivance, etc.).
It is easy to work the camera in this mobile device.
She can work many power tools.
- Synonyms:
- handle, manipulate, operate
-
to bring about (any result) by or as by work or effort.
to work a change.
- Synonyms:
- achieve, produce, effect, accomplish
-
to manipulate or treat by labor.
to work butter.
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to put into effective operation.
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to operate (a mine, farm, etc.) for productive purposes.
to work a coal mine.
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to carry on operations in (a district or region).
-
to make, fashion, or execute by work.
-
to achieve or win by work or effort.
to work one's passage.
-
to keep (a person, a horse, etc.) at work.
She works her employees hard.
-
to cause a strong emotion in.
to work a crowd into a frenzy.
-
to influence or persuade, especially insidiously.
to work other people to one's will.
-
Informal. to exploit (someone or something) to one's advantage.
See if you can work your uncle for a new car. He worked his charm in landing a new job.
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to make or decorate by needlework or embroidery.
She worked a needlepoint cushion.
-
to cause fermentation in.
verb phrase
-
work on / upon to exercise influence on; persuade; affect.
I'll work on her, and maybe she'll change her mind.
-
work up
-
to move or stir the feelings; excite.
-
to prepare; elaborate.
Work up some plans.
-
to increase in efficiency or skill.
He worked up his typing speed to 70 words a minute.
-
-
work up to rise to a higher position; advance.
He worked up to the presidency.
-
work out
-
to bring about by work, effort, or action.
-
to solve, as a problem.
-
to arrive at by or as by calculation.
-
to pay (a debt) by working instead of paying money.
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to exhaust, as a mine.
-
to issue in a result.
-
to evolve; elaborate.
-
to amount to (a total or specified figure); add up (to).
The total works out to 176.
-
to prove effective or successful.
Their marriage just didn't work out.
-
to practice, exercise, or train, especially in order to become proficient in an athletic sport.
The boxers are working out at the gym tonight.
-
-
work over
-
to study or examine thoroughly.
For my term paper I worked over 30 volumes of Roman history.
-
Informal. to beat unsparingly, especially in order to obtain something or out of revenge.
They threatened to work him over until he talked.
-
-
work in / into
-
to bring or put in; add, merge, or blend.
The tailor worked in the patch skillfully. Work the cream into the hands until it is completely absorbed.
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to arrange a time or employment for.
The dentist was very busy, but said she would be able to work me in late in the afternoon. They worked him into the new operation.
-
-
work off
-
to lose or dispose of, as by exercise or labor.
We decided to work off the effects of a heavy supper by walking for an hour.
-
to pay or fulfill by working.
He worked off his debt by doing odd jobs.
-
-
work through to deal with successfully; come to terms with.
to work through one's feelings of guilt.
idioms
-
shoot the works, to spend all one's resources.
Let's shoot the works and order the crêpes suzette.
-
out of work, unemployed; jobless.
Many people in the area were out of work.
-
make short work of, to finish or dispose of quickly.
We made short work of the chocolate layer cake.
-
at work,
-
working, as at one's job.
He's at work on a new novel.
-
in action or operation.
to see the machines at work.
-
-
work it,
-
to arrange something.
I'll try to work it so that we can all travel together.
-
to show off one’s body or clothing to best effect, often through movement or posing.
The models were working it on the runway.
Work it on the dance floor, baby!
-
-
gum up the works, to spoil something, as through blundering or stupidity.
The surprise party was all arranged, but her little brother gummed up the works and told her.
-
in the works, in preparation or being planned.
A musical version of the book is in the works.
Work
2
American
[wurk]
/ wɜrk /
noun
work
British
/ wɜːk /
noun
-
physical or mental effort directed towards doing or making something
-
paid employment at a job or a trade, occupation, or profession
-
a duty, task, or undertaking
-
something done, made, etc, as a result of effort or exertion
a work of art
-
materials or tasks on which to expend effort or exertion
-
another word for workmanship
-
the place, office, etc, where a person is employed
-
any piece of material that is undergoing a manufacturing operation or process; workpiece
-
-
decoration or ornamentation, esp of a specified kind
-
( in combination )
wirework
woolwork
-
-
an engineering structure such as a bridge, building, etc
-
Abbreviation: W. w. physics the transfer of energy expressed as the product of a force and the distance through which its point of application moves in the direction of the force
-
a structure, wall, etc, built or used as part of a fortification system
-
-
at one's job or place of employment
-
in action; operating
-
-
informal to handle or dispose of very quickly
-
(modifier) of, relating to, or used for work
work clothes
a work permit
verb
-
(intr) to exert effort in order to do, make, or perform something
-
(intr) to be employed
-
(tr) to carry on operations, activity, etc, in (a place or area)
that salesman works the southern region
-
(tr) to cause to labour or toil
he works his men hard
-
to operate or cause to operate, esp properly or effectively
to work a lathe
that clock doesn't work
-
(tr) to till or cultivate (land)
-
to handle or manipulate or be handled or manipulated
to work dough
-
to shape, form, or process or be shaped, formed, or processed
to work copper
-
to reach or cause to reach a specific condition, esp gradually
the rope worked loose
-
(tr) to solve (a mathematical problem)
-
(intr) to move in agitation
his face worked with anger
-
to provoke or arouse
to work someone into a frenzy
-
(tr) to effect or accomplish
to work one's revenge
-
to make (one's way) with effort
he worked his way through the crowd
-
(tr) to make or decorate by hand in embroidery, tapestry, etc
she was working a sampler
-
(intr) (of a mechanism) to move in a loose or otherwise imperfect fashion
-
(intr) (of liquids) to ferment, as in brewing
-
informal (tr) to manipulate or exploit to one's own advantage
-
slang (tr) to cheat or swindle
work
Scientific
/ wûrk /
-
The transfer of energy from one object to another, especially in order to make the second object move in a certain direction. Work is equal to the amount of force multiplied by the distance over which it is applied. If a force of 10 newtons, for example, is applied over a distance of 3 meters, the work is equal to 30 newtons per meter, or 30 joules. The unit for measuring work is the same as that for energy in any system of units, since work is simply a transfer of energy.
work
Cultural
work
More Idioms
Usage
What are other ways to say work? The noun work refers to the exertion or effort directed to produce or accomplish something. When should you use work instead of drudgery, labor, or toil? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
worksimple
-
workssimple
-
have workedperfect
-
have wroughtperfect
-
has workedperfect
-
has wroughtperfect
-
am workingprogressive
-
are workingprogressive
-
is workingprogressive
-
have been workingperfect progressive
-
has been workingperfect progressive
Past
-
workedsimple
-
wroughtsimple
-
had workedperfect
-
had wroughtperfect
-
was workingprogressive
-
were workingprogressive
-
had been workingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of work
First recorded before 900; (noun) Middle English worke, Old English worc, replacing Middle English werk(e), Old English weorc, cognate with Old Frisian, Old Saxon werk, Old High German werah, werc ( German Werk ), Old Norse verk, Greek érgon; (verb) Middle English worken, derivative of the noun, replacing Middle English wyrchen, Old English wyrcean; cognate with German wirken, Old Norse verkja, Gothic waurkjan
Explanation
The word work has many shades of meaning, but most involve putting in an effort of some sort. You're not going to become an Olympic ice skater overnight. You'll need to do a serious amount of work to get there. When you say you have to go to work, work is a noun meaning your workplace. The actual tasks you perform at your workplace — what you get paid for — are also called work. Your work might consist of answering the phone or baking bread or doing the accounting. Work can also be a verb describing doing some kind of activity, often one associated with your job. It's a bummer to work on Saturday when you already worked all week.
Vocabulary lists containing work
Word Generation Science - Energy
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Force and Motion (Mechanics) - Middle School
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Force and Motion (Mechanics) - Introductory
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The condition means the body can't make enough of a hormone called insulin, or the insulin it makes doesn't work properly - also known as insulin resistance.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
“On average companies are aiming for 60% to 80% of your time being utilized for work during the day,” he says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
His condition deteriorated so much he had to give up work as a borehole engineer.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
The goal of the county’s report was to provide “a comprehensive assessment of the merger’s production workforce implications,” amid the ongoing decline of L.A. based film and television production work.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
She vows that this will only make the counterprotesters work harder to make sure the building opens in six days.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
Work in Gribble's lab by postdoctoral scientist Alyssa Liguori, who is now an assistant professor at SUNY-New Paltz, examined two different genotypes from the same rotifer species.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 19, 2026
Work friends are said to be key to mental well-being at the office—but having one isn’t always an option for CEOs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
Work includes examining the accident site, the derailed train and railway infrastructure.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
Work on the project began last year with the sudden demolition of the East Wing, which used to house the offices of the first lady.
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
Well damn his Eyes, knows he the Work in which I am engaged?
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson
Skiba pointed to AI companies tapping other sources of capital, including off-balance-sheet deals, mega financing of specific data-center projects and exotic chip-backed deals in the works.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026
The approach reflects the U.A.E.’s preference for testing what works while preserving room to adjust.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
A sequel to Kpop Demon Hunters is also in the works, while Netflix is reportedly considering, external other follow-up projects such as a television series and stage musical.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
The treatment works by taking a sample of the patient's tumor and identifying its unique mutational signature, or "fingerprint," then using mRNA technology to fight it.
From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026
They just don't know how the brain works.
From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman
They cautioned that terms of the deal could change before any official announcement, and details are still being worked out.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
Fedorov had been a longtime Zelensky ally, having worked with the president since he took office in 2019.
From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026
“She had big dreams, worked hard in school, loved her church, and brought so much joy to the people around her.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
Neither UK Athletics, for whom he worked as a consultant sprinting coach, nor the sprinters he coached knew why he was out of contact.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
If his plan worked -if the World Spirit answered his plea -the bear would be destroyed and the Forest would survive.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
Its use in railroad rails—now cheaper, safer and longer-lasting than wrought iron—greatly increased.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
Simon also wrote that her experience with Parkinson’s wrought “anxiety, depression, exhaustion, an apathy.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
Hardwood floors run throughout the property, including in the bedrooms, save for the entryway which features a terracotta tile and a wrought iron staircase leading up to the second level.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
After two major earthquakes hit Venezuela on Wednesday, aerial footage has revealed the destruction wrought in the coastal city of La Guaira.
From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026
We could hear the whoops and hollers and splashing as soon as we walked up the driveway to a wrought iron gate standing ajar as if it were personally saying, Come on in.
From "It All Comes Down to This" by Karen English
“MRI was clean. It doesn’t change the fact that he had this sensation in his neck. But I think to keep working on it, give it some rest as far as throwing the baseball.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
While working at the family business, Lam joined a startup that built an app to help people at shopping malls find stores.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
Although the phenomenon is common throughout the animal kingdom, scientists are still working to understand the biological processes underlying it and why it has persisted over evolutionary history.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 19, 2026
Wong says working with her brother has been a huge strength but there were also "definitely a lot of arguments".
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
He was limited in ways that are important to all human beings, but he found a way to live, working with horses.
From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
