work 1 of 2

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2
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as in to serve
to have a certain purpose the human kidneys work as a filtering system for the blood

Synonyms & Similar Words

4
as in to perform
to produce a desired effect this headache remedy takes half an hour to work

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

5
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as in to operate
to control the mechanical operation of show me how to work the machine

Synonyms & Similar Words

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work

2 of 2

noun

1
as in composition
a literary, musical, or artistic production unfortunately, many of her works are now out of print

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in factory
works plural a building or set of buildings for the manufacturing of goods a glass works where high quality glassware is made

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun work contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of work are drudgery, grind, labor, toil, and travail. While all these words mean "activity involving effort or exertion," work may imply activity of body, of mind, of a machine, or of a natural force.

too tired to do any work

In what contexts can drudgery take the place of work?

The meanings of drudgery and work largely overlap; however, drudgery suggests dull and irksome labor.

an editorial job with a good deal of drudgery

When might grind be a better fit than work?

The synonyms grind and work are sometimes interchangeable, but grind implies labor exhausting to mind or body.

the grind of the assembly line

When could labor be used to replace work?

The words labor and work are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, labor applies to physical or intellectual work involving great and often strenuous exertion.

farmers demanding fair compensation for their labor

When is toil a more appropriate choice than work?

The words toil and work can be used in similar contexts, but toil implies prolonged and fatiguing labor.

his lot would be years of back-breaking toil

When is it sensible to use travail instead of work?

Although the words travail and work have much in common, travail is bookish for labor involving pain or suffering.

years of travail were lost when the house burned

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of work
Verb
Choose the one that works best for your adolescent. Dr. Theresa T. Nguyen, Boston Herald, 26 Oct. 2025 Leaders go for the big-name software with bold promises, only to face long implementations, steep learning curves, and features that don’t match how teams actually work. Dennis Woodside, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2025
Noun
When human samples are required for her research and funding bodies refuse further support, Bree spots an opportunity to help both her work and her sister, no matter the cost. Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 27 Oct. 2025 Critical work The role of air traffic controllers is crucial because of how many flights take off every day in the United States, Mourning said. Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for work
Recent Examples of Synonyms for work
Verb
  • The uncertainty has caused fear for the nearly 700,000 Wisconsinites who rely on FoodShare benefits.
    JR Radcliffe, jsonline.com, 24 Oct. 2025
  • These storms can also damage key technological infrastructure, such as by interfering with the flow of electricity in the power grid and causing transformers to overheat and fail.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Detectives have not identified a motive but said the arrests mark a major step in solving a killing that initially appeared to have few clues.
    Santa Rosa Press Democrat, Mercury News, 26 Oct. 2025
  • But that was hardly the end of our fastidious, crime-solving genius.
    Stephen Schaefer, Boston Herald, 26 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The film was one of Dean's three major films and serves as a lasting part of his legacy.
    Skyler Trepel, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
  • In 1898, architect René Binet unveiled his design for the Porte Monumentale, a grand three-legged archway intended to serve as the entrance portal to the upcoming 1900 Paris Exposition.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • During the formative phase of the infant American republic, when its survival was still problematic, iconic founders performed a valuable function as reliable sources of unquestioned wisdom, a veritable gallery of Delphic oracles available on demand.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Kevin previously performed the song solo for the first time at the band's Boston date in August.
    Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • While oil continues to drive Saudi Arabia's economy, the kingdom is now expanding into areas such as artificial intelligence, tourism and sports to diversify its growth avenues.
    Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 28 Oct. 2025
  • These extinctions were driven mostly by European agriculture and the introduction of non-native species that outcompeted Australian animals.
    Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Late November is the tentative opening expected for a stand-alone restaurant under construction at 10576 Lebanon Road on property where a Golden Bear Shell station operates, franchise owner Naren Patel said.
    Andy Humbles, Nashville Tennessean, 27 Oct. 2025
  • In his speech, Van Zile cited an estimate that 60,000 gambling machines are operating in taverns across the state, resulting in millions of dollars in uncollected taxes.
    Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In my experience, this is especially true in the lonely hours of the night while struggling with chronic pain.
    Joni Eareckson Tada, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
  • After an effort to create a Falls of the Ohio national park fell short in 1967, Kentucky and Indiana officials struggled to stop the falls from becoming a garbage dump.
    Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Cousin, who is CEO of FSF Ventures, a nonprofit focused on sustainable food business models, believes investments like AI will help spur productivity in land already used for cultivation.
    Nino Paoli, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2025
  • One post on the platform included a screenshot of a season 4 scene where Will uses a conversation about Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) to reveal his true feelings for Mike.
    Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Work.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/work. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.

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