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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.

“This is more about bringing Shake Shack customers back” to try something new, said Izzy Kharasch, president of Hospitality Works, a Chicago-based restaurant-consulting firm.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 29, 2026

In 1970, Corning Glass Works developed hair-thin silica strands capable of carrying light for miles with dramatically reduced signal loss.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

Works sold less than five years after they were bought returned 7% on average, 3.5% within 10 years, and 1.4% within 20.

From Barron's • Apr. 17, 2026

According to police, the Public Works street-sweeping truck was traveling south on Vista Del Mar on its scheduled route when a northbound SUV collided with it head-on.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 5, 2026

On June 17 a small fire occurred in the Cold Storage Building, a castlelike structure at the southwest corner of the grounds built by Hercules Iron Works.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson