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

That impetus brought Lance Hammer back out of the woodwork, a gauntlet thrown to himself to think through problematic contradictions involving the quite different — and often sparring — human verticals of capability, autonomy, and decline. —Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 18 Feb. 2026

There's also plenty of custom woodwork in here, with cabinets finished with cedar shakes to echo the exterior, plus shelving and breakfast-bar-style seating for two. —New Atlas, 16 Feb. 2026

Campbell hit the woodwork on that occasion. —Rob Tanner, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026

More critics will slink out of the woodwork now, eager to 20/20 hindsight their way into Vonn’s decision. —Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 8 Feb. 2026

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