work

noun

1

: activity in which one exerts strength or faculties to do or perform something:

a

: activity that a person engages in regularly to earn a livelihood

people looking for work

I know them through work.

What line of work is your spouse in?

b

: a specific task, duty, function, or assignment often being a part or phase of some larger activity

A large part of the work is responding to e-mails.

c

: sustained physical or mental effort to overcome obstacles and achieve an objective or result

Getting my PhD took a lot of work, but it was worth it.

2

: one's place of employment

I didn't go to work yesterday because I was sick.

3

a

: something produced or accomplished by effort, exertion, or exercise of skill

This book is the work of many hands.

The cabinets are the work of a skilled carpenter.

Some clever camera work gave the illusion that we were standing next to each other.

b

: something produced by the exercise of creative talent or expenditure of creative effort : artistic production

an early work by a major writer

I love this painter's work.

4

a

: something that results from a particular manner or method of working, operating, or devising

careful investigative work

b

: something that results from the use or fashioning of a particular material

collected fine porcelain work in many styles

5

a

works plural : structures in engineering (such as docks, bridges, or embankments) or mining (such as shafts or tunnels)

works from the 19th century

b

: a fortified structure (such as a fort, earthen barricade, or trench)

6

works plural in form but singular or plural in construction : a place where industrial labor is carried on : plant, factory

got a job at a cement/lead works

The local steel works have shut down.

7

works plural : the working or moving parts of a mechanism

the works of a clock

8

works plural

a

: everything possessed, available, or belonging

They ordered a pizza with the works.

When we went to New York, we visited the museums, did some shopping, saw some shows—the whole works.

b

: subjection to drastic treatment : all possible abuse

—usually used with get or give

get the works

gave them the works

9

a

physics : the transference of energy that is produced by the movement of the point of application of a force and is measured by multiplying the magnitude of the force by the amount of displacement of its point of application along the line of movement

b

: energy expended by natural phenomena

c

: the result of such energy

sand dunes are the work of sea and wind

10

a

: effective operation : effect, result

wait for time to do its healing work

b

: manner of working : workmanship, execution

Better tools make for better work.

11

works plural : performance of moral or religious acts

salvation by works

12

: the material or piece of material that is operated upon at any stage in the process of manufacture

The work was put under the drop hammer and quickly pounded into shape for the next operation.

see also:

at work in the works in work out of work

Synonyms of work

• composition
• piece

Choose the Right Synonym for work

work, labor, travail, toil, drudgery, grind mean activity involving effort or exertion.

work may imply activity of body, of mind, of a machine, or of a natural force.

too tired to do any work

labor applies to physical or intellectual work involving great and often strenuous exertion.

farmers demanding fair compensation for their labor

travail is bookish for labor involving pain or suffering.

years of travail were lost when the house burned

toil implies prolonged and fatiguing labor.

his lot would be years of back-breaking toil

drudgery suggests dull and irksome labor.

an editorial job with a good deal of drudgery

grind implies labor exhausting to mind or body.

the grind of the assembly line

work, employment, occupation, calling, pursuit, métier, business mean a specific sustained activity engaged in especially in earning one's living.

work may apply to any purposeful activity whether remunerative or not.

her work as a hospital volunteer

employment implies work for which one has been engaged and is being paid by an employer.

your employment with this firm is hereby terminated

occupation implies work in which one engages regularly especially as a result of training.

his occupation as a trained auto mechanic

calling applies to an occupation viewed as a vocation or profession.

the ministry seemed my true calling

pursuit suggests a trade, profession, or avocation followed with zeal or steady interest.

her family considered medicine the only proper pursuit

métier implies a calling or pursuit for which one believes oneself to be especially fitted.

acting was my one and only métier

business suggests activity in commerce or the management of money and affairs.

the business of managing a hotel

Examples of work in a Sentence

She is trying to find work in publishing.

How long have you been looking for work?

He started work as a car salesman.

I know him through work.

She didn't come to work today.

He left work a few minutes ago.

She's not here right now. She's at work.

She went out with her friends from work.

Can you describe your work to the class?

A large part of the work is responding to e-mails.

Recent Examples on the Web

The reforms would also require some facilities to assess the feasibility of using safer technologies or processes in their work, among other changes. —Evan Bush, NBC news, 30 May 2026

This is also an excellent day for creative work or coming up with new approaches to medicine or something that is health-related. —Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 30 May 2026

Cal Fire still holds a modest annual budget for wildfire mitigation work. —Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026

Grant's work has been displayed in galleries and museums across the United States, including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). —Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 30 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English werk, work, from Old English werc, weorc; akin to Old High German werc work, Greek ergon, Avestan varəzem activity

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing work

• all in a day's work
• a nasty piece of work
• a stroke of work
• at work
• blood work
• breath work
• camera work
• detail work
• do/work wonders
• get back to work
• get down to work
• get to work
• go about one's work
• hatchet work
• have one's work cut out for one
• in work
• keep up the good work
• life's work
• line of work
• make short/quick/light work of
• make-work
• many hands make light work
• on work release
• out of work
• piece of work
• pre-work
• put (someone) out of work
• return to work
• right-to-work
• scut work
• set to work
• sex work
• social work
• stump work
• work against (someone)
• work a room
• work-around
• work around to
• work at
• work at/from home
• work camp
• work ethic
• work experience
• work farm
• work flow
• work in
• work in progress
• work in someone's favor
• work into
• work in unison
• work/iron out the kinks
• work it/things
• work like a charm
• work like a Trojan
• work like magic
• work magic
• work miracles
• work of art
• work off
• work on
• work oneself into a lather
• work one's fingers to the bone
• work one's magic
• work one's way
• work out
• work outside the home
• work over
• work overtime
• work permit
• work print
• work release
• work round
• work round to
• work-shy
• work site
• work (someone) into the ground
• work song
• work stoppage
• work-study program
• work the land
• work through
• work to
• work-to-rule
• work up
• work up a sweat
• work upon
• work up to
• yard work
• yeoman's/yeoman work/service

Rhymes for work

• berk
• birk
• cirque
• clerk
• dirk
• erk
• irk
• jerk
• kirk
• lurk
• merc
• merch

Kids Definition

work

1 of 3 noun

ˈwərk 

1

a

: the use of one's strength or ability to get something done or to achieve a result : labor, toil

b

: the work done as one's regular job

also : the place of one's employment

didn't go to work today

c

: something to be done : task

have work to do

2

: the energy used when a force is applied over a given distance

3

a

: something that results from a particular manner or method of working, operating, or devising

careful police work

b

: something that results from the use or shaping of a particular material

porcelain work

4

: a fortified structure (as a fort or trench)

5

plural : a place where industrial labor is done : plant, factory

cement works

6

plural : the working or moving parts of a mechanical device

the works of a watch

7

: something produced by hard work or skill

a writer's first work

8

: manner of working : workmanship

careless work

9

plural

a

: everything available, possessed, or belonging

a hamburger with the works

b

: the harshest treatment possible

gave him the works

work

2 of 3 adjective

1

: used for work

a work elephant

2

: suitable for wear while working

work clothes

work

3 of 3 verb

worked ˈwərkt  or wrought ˈrȯt  ; working

1

: to bring about : effect

work a cure

2

a

: to prepare by stirring or shaping

work dough

b

: to bring into a desired form by a manufacturing process

work cold steel

3

: to set or keep in motion or operation

a pump worked by hand

4

: to solve by reasoning or figuring

work an arithmetic problem

5

a

: to cause to labor

worked the crew hard

b

: to make use of : exploit

work a mine

6

: to pay for with labor

work off a debt

7

a

: to get into or out of a state or position by stages

worked the boat loose

b

: contrive sense 3, arrange

work it so that you can leave soon

8

: excite sense 1, provoke

worked myself into a rage

9

a

: to make an effort especially for a long period

b

: to perform a task requiring extended effort or repeated operations

c

: to perform work regularly for wages

works in advertising

10

: to function or operate properly

hinges work better with oil

11

: to produce a desired effect : succeed

my plan worked

12

: to move gradually into a certain position or state

the knot worked loose

Etymology

Old English werc, weorc "work, activity directed toward accomplishing something"

Old English wyrcan "to create, cause to happen, shape"