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
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
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
The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
Today, there may be more organic produce in supermarkets, but our living and working conditions largely prevent us from cooking and eating fresh and nourishing whole foods.
—Annie Levin, Washington Post, 10 Feb. 2026
Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Feb. 2026
From Dubai’s leading start-up incubator in5 to the flexible co-working spaces offered through D/Quarters, our business services empower our customers to facilitate knowledge-sharing and collective problem-solving.
—Abdulla Belhoul, Fortune, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for working
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Noun
This cleanup leads to better working cells and an array of health benefits.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
Today, there may be more organic produce in supermarkets, but our living and working conditions largely prevent us from cooking and eating fresh and nourishing whole foods.
—Annie Levin, Washington Post, 10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
The Morningside Project serves as a co-working space for meetings or an event space for small workshops.
—Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Feb. 2026
From Dubai’s leading start-up incubator in5 to the flexible co-working spaces offered through D/Quarters, our business services empower our customers to facilitate knowledge-sharing and collective problem-solving.
—Abdulla Belhoul, Fortune, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for working
Cite this Entry
“Working.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/working. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
working
2 of 2 adjective1
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
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