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
Literary Hub, 14 Apr. 2026
Atlanta could break records for high temperatures this week, which means tough working conditions for those in the metro area whose jobs keep them outside.
—Madeline Montgomery, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 14 Apr. 2026
With beanbags, open-plan layouts, and students working on laptops and tablets, Alpha schools resemble a lounge or co-working space more than a traditional classroom.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for working
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Noun
In the sanitized and alienating new surrounds, with the camaraderie of the early Hyperion days but a faint memory, long-simmering discontent about working conditions wouldn’t take long to boil over.
—Literary Hub, 14 Apr. 2026
Atlanta could break records for high temperatures this week, which means tough working conditions for those in the metro area whose jobs keep them outside.
—Madeline Montgomery, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
State law requires ‘fair compensation’ Since CPW began the reintroduction of wolves in Colorado in 2023, the canines have killed or injured 76 head of livestock and two working dogs, according to the agency’s data.
—Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 14 Apr. 2026
With beanbags, open-plan layouts, and students working on laptops and tablets, Alpha schools resemble a lounge or co-working space more than a traditional classroom.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 9 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 17 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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