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

The head of alignment at Anthropic confirmed that is the case, and multiple other AI employees came out of the woodwork to echo the message as well. — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2026

Fernandes then flicks the ball to his team-mate and Mainoo rattles the woodwork, with Anderson unable to block the shot. — Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026

Meanwhile, the Hotel Lucile begins a new chapter, retaining interior arches, masonry, woodwork details and a rooftop cross that the hotel will keep alight at night. — Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026

Molly Berry, the founder of the Luna Zorro textile brand, recently renovated a two-room guesthouse in the heart of Antigua, Guatemala, with textiles handwoven by artisan partners and locally made ceramics, lighting, and woodwork. — Jen Murphy, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Sep. 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