Thesaurus

work

Q: How does the noun 'work' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of work are drudgery , grind , labor , toil , and travail . While all these words 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

Q: In what contexts can 'drudgery' take the place of 'work'?

The meanings of drudgery and work largely overlap; however, drudgery suggests dull and irksome labor. // an editorial job with a good deal of drudgery

Q: When might 'grind' be a better fit than 'work'?

The synonyms grind and work are sometimes interchangeable, but grind implies labor exhausting to mind or body. // the grind of the assembly line

Q: When could 'labor' be used to replace 'work'?

The words labor and work are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, labor applies to physical or intellectual work involving great and often strenuous exertion. // farmers demanding fair compensation for their labor

Q: When is 'toil' a more appropriate choice than 'work'?

The words toil and work can be used in similar contexts, but toil implies prolonged and fatiguing labor. // his lot would be years of back-breaking toil

Q: When is it sensible to use 'travail' instead of 'work'?

Although the words travail and work have much in common, travail is bookish for labor involving pain or suffering. // years of travail were lost when the house burned

verb

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Synonyms & Antonyms of work

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 to be the cause of (a situation, action, or state of mind)

this new drug can really work wonders

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Phrases Synonymous with work

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2 to find an answer for through reasoning

finally figured out how to work the math problem

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3 to have a certain purpose

the human kidneys work as a filtering system for the blood

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operate,
run

4 to produce a desired effect

this headache remedy takes half an hour to work

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Phrases Synonymous with work

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backfire

fizzle

5 to set or keep in motion

this pump is worked by hand

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6 to control the mechanical operation of

show me how to work the machine

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7 to devote serious and sustained effort

the organization has worked for years to raise people's awareness of human rights issues

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Words Related to work

attack,
drive

essay,
try

trudge,
wade

Phrases Synonymous with work

sweat blood

Near Antonyms for work

8 to take unfair advantage of

a young boy who worked his aunt for all she was worth in toys and candy when she visited once a year

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Phrases Synonymous with work

work

noun

Synonyms & Antonyms of work (Entry 2 of 2)

1 a literary, musical, or artistic production

unfortunately, many of her works are now out of print

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étude

2 something produced by physical or intellectual effort

the new Web application is the work of a pair of young but highly gifted programmers

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3 the action for which a person or thing is specially fitted or used or for which a thing exists

the work of a movie director is to tell a story through a series of striking images

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4 the active use of energy in producing a result

put a lot of work into the project

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dint,
energy

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5 the activity by which one regularly makes a living

what line of work are you in?

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6 works plural a building or set of buildings for the manufacturing of goods

a glass works where high quality glassware is made

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Words Related to work

sweatshop

yard

Frequently Asked Questions About work

How does the noun work contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of work are drudgery, grind, labor, toil, and travail. While all these words 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

In what contexts can drudgery take the place of work?

The meanings of drudgery and work largely overlap; however, drudgery suggests dull and irksome labor.

an editorial job with a good deal of drudgery

When might grind be a better fit than work?

The synonyms grind and work are sometimes interchangeable, but grind implies labor exhausting to mind or body.

the grind of the assembly line

When could labor be used to replace work?

The words labor and work are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, labor applies to physical or intellectual work involving great and often strenuous exertion.

farmers demanding fair compensation for their labor