public works
plural noun
: works (such as schools, highways, docks) constructed for public use or enjoyment especially when financed and owned by the government
Examples of public works in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This same story of economic reinvigoration is playing out across the nation in dozens of rural counties that have embraced renewable energy projects, delighting taxpayers, enriching county coffers and making previously unaffordable public works projects possible.
—
Sophie Hartley, USA Today, 21 Feb. 2026
This year, she is set to have new large-scale public works installed in Manhattan, New York City, Dallas and along the Grand Canal in Venice for the Art Biennale.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 20 Feb. 2026
Construction will require village hall and the police station to be closed to the public for 13 to 15 months so village offices will be moved to the village’s public works building at 1075 Tamarac Drive.
—Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026
In 2024, thousands of Orange County residents were forced to flee from a wildfire after an employee of the county’s public works department used heavy equipment to try to move a rock on a hot, windy day, sparking the Airport fire.
—Cierra Morgan, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for public works
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.
Sophie Hartley, USA Today, 21 Feb. 2026
This year, she is set to have new large-scale public works installed in Manhattan, New York City, Dallas and along the Grand Canal in Venice for the Art Biennale.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 20 Feb. 2026
Construction will require village hall and the police station to be closed to the public for 13 to 15 months so village offices will be moved to the village’s public works building at 1075 Tamarac Drive.
—Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026
In 2024, thousands of Orange County residents were forced to flee from a wildfire after an employee of the county’s public works department used heavy equipment to try to move a rock on a hot, windy day, sparking the Airport fire.
—Cierra Morgan, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for public works
Cite this Entry
“Public works.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/public%20works. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
