working

1 of 2

noun

work·​ing ˈwər-kiŋ 

1

: the manner of functioning or operating : operation

—usually used in plural

the inner workings of the government

2

: an excavation or group of excavations made in mining, quarrying, or tunneling

—usually used in plural

working

2 of 2

adjective

1

: engaged in work especially for wages or a salary

a working journalist

a working mother

2

: adequate to permit work to be done

a working majority

3

: assumed or adopted to permit or facilitate further work or activity

a working draft

4

: spent at work

working life

5

: being in use or operation

a working farm

Synonyms of working

Noun

• mechanics
• ropes

Adjective

• operating
• operational
• operative
• functioning
• running

Examples of working in a Sentence

Noun

an article about the byzantine workings of the auction business for high-end art

Adjective

There is a good working relationship between the departments.

the working parts of the machine

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The primary lever for improving workforce engagement is improving the capability, confidence, and working conditions of the people who manage that workforce. — Cindy Rodriguez Constable, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026

The company's clashes with unions date back years, with battles over employment status, arbitration proceedings, working conditions, and more rendering it a marquee villain in the eyes of labor advocates. — Paxton Honerkamp, CNBC, 1 Aug. 2026

Adjective

Two years later, that land was a functioning commercial development with healthcare services, co-working space, community banking and retail tenants serving a neighborhood that had none of those things before. — Srinivasulu Mupparaju, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

Less than a year in, Mora is earning enough to pay for a part-time producer, an assistant, and a graphic designer and to rent a co-working space on the Upper East Side. — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 28 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1708, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing working

• co-working
• in (good) working order
• in (good) working order/condition
• non-working
• the working class
• the working classes
• wonder-working
• working asset
• working/business breakfast
• working/business lunch
• working capital
• working class
• working day
• working dog
• working fluid
• working girl
• working group
• working memory
• working papers
• working party
• working relationship
• working substance
• working week

Rhymes for working

• clerking
• jerking
• lurking
• shirking
• smirking
• hardworking
• networking
• nonworking
• reworking
• woodworking
• interworking
• metalworking

Kids Definition

working

1 of 2 noun

work·​ing ˈwər-kiŋ 

: the manner of functioning or operating : operation

—usually used in plural

the inner workings of the motion picture industry

working

2 of 2 adjective

1

a

: doing work especially for a living

working people

b

: being in an operating state

a working model

2

: good enough to allow work to be done

a working majority

a working arrangement