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
ABC News, 17 Feb. 2026
Decades of unchecked sprawl have left taxpayers footing the bill for costly infrastructure expansions, while natural systems and working lands have disappeared at alarming rates.
—Haley Busch, Sun Sentinel, 17 Feb. 2026
Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 15 Feb. 2026
If working families feel more secure and the legislature actually functions as a democratic body, that’s success.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for working
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.
Noun
The union was demanding better working conditions, pay, and benefits, and discussions on how their demands would be met were held on Tuesday.
—ABC News, 17 Feb. 2026
Decades of unchecked sprawl have left taxpayers footing the bill for costly infrastructure expansions, while natural systems and working lands have disappeared at alarming rates.
—Haley Busch, Sun Sentinel, 17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
Jamie from the YouTube channel Jamie’s Brick Jams built a fully working electric motor using mostly ordinary LEGO bricks, a handful of basic electronic parts, and simple electromagnetic principles.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 15 Feb. 2026
If working families feel more secure and the legislature actually functions as a democratic body, that’s success.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 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 20 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
