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Synonyms

work of art

American  

noun

  1. a piece of creative work in the arts, especially a painting or sculpture.

  2. a product that gives aesthetic pleasure and that can be judged separately from any utilitarian considerations.


work of art British  

noun

  1. a piece of fine art, such as a painting or sculpture

  2. something that may be likened to a piece of fine art, esp in beauty, intricacy, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of work of art

First recorded in 1825–35

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.

The series is at once satirical and celebratory; “Bait” feels abundant, both in its presentation of a culture, which has the ring of documentary truth, and as a beautifully realized work of art.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026

The goal to make it 4-0 was a work of art as the 33-year-old used his left foot to curl a sublime effort into the top corner from outside the box.

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

And if you buy a work of art from an artist and you sell it at a later date, why shouldn’t you be able to sell it for more than you bought it for?

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

A teenager has sold her Nissan Micra car for £400 to the organisers of an exhibition who are using it to replicate an original Banksy work of art.

From BBC • Mar. 5, 2026

He held up the innocent-looking egg, gazing at it like it was a work of art.

From "The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs" by Betty G. Birney

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