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Synonyms

works

British  
/ wɜːks /

plural noun

  1. (often functioning as singular) a place where a number of people are employed, such as a factory

  2. the sum total of a writer's or artist's achievements, esp when considered together

    the works of Shakespeare

  3. the deeds of a person, esp virtuous or moral deeds performed as religious acts

    works of charity

  4. the interior parts of the mechanism of a machine, etc

    the works of a clock

  5. informal in preparation

  6. See spanner

  7. slang

    1. full or extreme treatment

    2. a very violent physical beating

      to give someone the works

  8. slang a syringe

  9. (modifier) of or denoting a racing car, etc, that is officially entered by a manufacturer in an event

    a works entry

"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

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.

Apitegromab works by blocking a protein involved in the breakdown of muscle and is also being explored as a treatment for other medical conditions affecting muscles, including spinal muscular atrophy.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

Olympia, his elusive love and sporadic muse, flits in and out of his life as she works her way up the tiers of the art world’s ziggurat.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026

Bexobrutideg, a BTK kinase degrader, works by destroying target proteins rather than simply turning them off.

From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026

But not everyone had such a low opinion of these discarded works.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

That is, if destiny works out the way it’s supposed to.

From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff

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