woodwork

noun

wood·​work ˈwu̇d-ˌwərk 

1

: work made of wood

especially : interior fittings (such as moldings or stairways) of wood

2

: a place or state of concealment, seclusion, or anonymity

witnesses came out of the woodwork when a reward was offered

Examples of woodwork in a Sentence

We painted the walls white and the woodwork red.

The kick hit the woodwork.

Recent Examples on the Web

Overseas competition has kept prices lower Setting aside high-end woodwork and heirloom craftsmanship, sellers of mass market furniture feel intense pressure to keep prices down. —Alina Selyukh, NPR, 7 Nov. 2025

Support and Isolation When a crisis occurs, people come out of the woodwork. —Lana Wilhelm, Flow Space, 5 Nov. 2025

Giving away a million dollars brings a lot of people out of the woodwork. —Erin McMullen, Time, 3 Nov. 2025

With a muted atmosphere at the Olympic Stadium amidst despondent home support, West Ham’s opportunity was a potential mood-changer whose energy dissipated in the rattling of the woodwork. —Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1609, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing woodwork

• come/crawl out of the woodwork
• fade into the woodwork
• into the woodwork

Rhymes for woodwork

• artwork
• beadwork
• berserk
• breastwork
• brickwork
• brushwork
• casework
• classwork
• clockwork
• coursework
• ductwork
• earthwork

Kids Definition

woodwork

noun

wood·​work -ˌwərk 

: work made of wood

especially : interior fittings (as window frames or stairways) of wood