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
Laura Rothrock, New York Daily News, 7 Apr. 2026
Construction is expected to begin in late April and to take about 50 working days, with city officials targeting a potential opening in late summer.
—Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 6 Apr. 2026
Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
That’s more than $1 billion per working day.
—Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for working
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Noun
These overlapping regulations are undermining our ability to grow and sustain working-class jobs.
—Laura Rothrock, New York Daily News, 7 Apr. 2026
Construction is expected to begin in late April and to take about 50 working days, with city officials targeting a potential opening in late summer.
—Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Finnrick’s office is compact and sits on the second floor of a co-working space.
—Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
That’s more than $1 billion per working day.
—Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 3 Apr. 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 Apr. 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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