- present participle of work.
working
Americannoun
-
workings
plural
-
the act of a person or thing that works.
-
operation; action.
the involuted workings of his mind.
-
the process of shaping a material.
The working of clay is easy when it's damp.
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the act of manufacturing or building a thing.
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Usually workings. a part of a mine, quarry, or the like, in which work is carried on.
-
the process of fermenting, as of yeasts.
-
a slow advance involving exertion.
-
disturbed or twisting motions.
The working of his limbs revealed the disease.
-
repeated movement or strain tending to loosen a structural assembly or part.
adjective
-
that works.
-
doing some form of work or labor, especially manual, mechanical, or industrial work, as for a living.
a working person.
-
operating; producing effects, results, etc.
-
pertaining to, connected with, or used in operating or working.
-
serving to permit or facilitate continued work.
a working model; a working majority.
-
adequate for usual or customary needs.
a working knowledge of Spanish.
-
large enough for working or being worked.
a working sample.
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done, taken, etc., while conducting or discussing business.
a working lunch.
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Also (of a face or edge, as of a timber or a metal casting) shaped and planed as a reference for further shaping and planing.
noun
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the operation or mode of operation of something
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the act or process of moulding something pliable
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a convulsive or jerking motion, as from excitement
-
(often plural) a part of a mine or quarry that is being or has been worked
-
(plural) the whole system of excavations in a mine
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a record of the steps by which the result of a calculation or the solution of a problem is obtained
all working is to be submitted to the examiners
-
rare slow advance against or as if against resistance
adjective
-
relating to or concerned with a person or thing that works
a working man
-
concerned with, used in, or suitable for work
working clothes
-
(of a meal or occasion) during which business discussions are carried on
working lunch
working breakfast
-
capable of being operated or used
a working model
-
sufficiently large or accurate to be useful or to accomplish a desired end
a working majority
a working knowledge of German
-
(of a theory, etc) providing a basis, usually a temporary one, on which operations or procedures may be carried out
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of working
First recorded in 1250–1300, working is from the Middle English word werking. See work, -ing 1, -ing 2
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:
Roberts, from Conwy in north Wales, was working for More Magazine and flew to the US for the interview.
From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026
His team also turned down a working lunch with Trump and left his arrival evening free.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026
We’ve also been working on this 15-year celebration for the last year and a half, so I would say the album is the next focus.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026
Boeing on Friday added that it was working to formalize a procedure with airlines that would allow pilots to restore automated flight guidance in case the glitch occurs.
From Barron's ● Oct. 3, 2026
I knew she didn’t mind the idea of my working so much.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
It aims to provide an exclusive insight into the inner workings of the theatre's costume department from the artists who created some of the Royal Exchange's most iconic shows.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
Guerra said it was like "hitting the jackpot", uncovering the inner workings of a vast, underground system.
From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026
Walter, the 66-year-old CEO of Guggenheim Partners, is in the crosshairs of a federal investigation examining the inner workings of his financial empire.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
The records on NextRequest once offered a vital window into the inner workings of the historically opaque Police Department, Shapiro said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
‘Yes, once they understand the workings of this society. But how do you propose to tell them?’
From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers
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.
