Definition of worknext
1
2
3
as in to serve
to have a certain purpose the human kidneys work as a filtering system for the blood

Synonyms & Similar Words

4
as in to perform
to produce a desired effect this headache remedy takes half an hour to work

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

5
6
as in to operate
to control the mechanical operation of show me how to work the machine

Synonyms & Similar Words

7
8

work

2 of 2

noun

1
as in composition
a literary, musical, or artistic production unfortunately, many of her works are now out of print

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
3
4
5
6
as in factory
works plural a building or set of buildings for the manufacturing of goods a glass works where high quality glassware is made

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

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

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

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

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of work
Verb
Williams aims to help build a county government that works for everyday people by lowering the cost of living, delivering excellent county services and protecting fundamental rights. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Oct. 2026 Some state lawmakers who worked with Jackson have criticized him as having a temper, including once throwing a plastic water bottle on the ground in frustration while disagreeing with a female lawmaker. — ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026
Noun
The pope resumed work activities on Thursday, just days after undergoing the operation, the Vatican said. — ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026 The rest of that encounter is charged with the discomfort of Evans’s open distrust of Seyfried and Seyfried’s own defensiveness of her work. — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for work
Recent Examples of Synonyms for work
Verb
  • Extreme tropical weather led to two deaths in Mexico and caused widespread damage over the weekend as Hurricane Simon pounded the country's Pacific coast, authorities said Monday.
    — JAIMIE DING, Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Her heart cells had been infected with parvovirus B19, the virus that more commonly causes Fifth Disease.
    — Raj Panjabi, Time, 13 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Separate nozzles also don't solve the problems of bonding incompatible materials or managing different printing temperatures.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Throw in a third massive object, though, and the math gets ridiculously more complicated and difficult to solve.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 16 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The outcome threatens to end the career of Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Dilraba Dilmurat plays the team’s star striker, while Lay Zhang serves as its kung fu mentor, helping the players combine martial arts mastery with soccer skills to overcome formidable opponents and setbacks on and off the field.
    — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Padma Khanna and other doubles performed some of the dances instead of Kumari, which made the continuity puzzle harder.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
  • And warming temperatures are hindering their ability to perform essential functions.
    — Devika Rao, TheWeek, 13 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • These viruses infect diverse deep-sea prokaryotes that drive vital cycles of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and metals.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The benefits of space exploration extend well beyond the Moon, potentially driving advances in energy storage, electric vehicles and other technologies on Earth.
    — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The integration could help American troops operate uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) when adversaries attempt to disrupt battlefield communications.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The team’s last-second win over the Philadelphia Eagles last week in Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was organized and operated by the NFL, part of the league’s more standard rotation of all teams playing overseas.
    — Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Miller's attempt to recast the conversation about his divorce echoed efforts by other candidates who are struggling to overcome concerns about their character.
    — Lara Korte The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026
  • But more than 40 countries currently struggling with financing and liquidity challenges do not have debt stocks that require imminent restructuring.
    — Masood Ahmed, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Hickel also described how the production used virtual reality to scout digital environments and simulate different seating positions inside an IMAX auditorium.
    — Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Their role becomes clear at 21-, 36- and 52-Across, where the clues solve to partial entries, which can be completed only by using the entry spaces of those dash clues.
    — Sam Corbin, New York Times, 13 Oct. 2026

Cite this Entry

“Work.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/work. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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