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
However, the Georgia program remains an important step in establishing how the technology will work within real railway operations. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 11 Oct. 2026 Annie Vinatieri, a Sugarloaf Township protester, observed that the data center opponents are a combination of working, middle, and upper classes, mostly white, but definitely nonpartisan, including many who are new to environmental protests. — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026
Noun
That said, the targeting software and operational testing still require substantial work. — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 11 Oct. 2026 One succinct but memorable subplot features a veteran casting director, Rhonda (Tracie Thoms), who, in the space of just a few scenes with Misty, evokes an entire work history, rife with resentment but also grudging respect. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 10 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
  • While allowing red fuel isn't going to solve all problems, as mentioned here previously, the temporary diesel policy is appreciated by diesel users.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Oct. 2026
  • McKinsey was about learning and always being curious and solving problems.
    — Jenny B. Fine, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Its winding path — and its goose motif — serve as the inspiration for Fortunae, Ginori 1735’s latest collection of collectible porcelain and home decor.
    — Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Semafor reported this week that the Federal Reserve has been probing how banks that lend to private-credit firms vet the loans that serve as their collateral, an admission that has spooked investors on Wall Street and around the world.
    — Ellen DiMauro, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • During the themed show, the dancers performed to many of Carey’s songs from over the years.
    — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 7 Oct. 2026
  • His new project, Flop, aims to create a spot market for computing power, where participants are rewarded with Flop tokens for providing GPUs and performing AI inference.
    — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The reason for that is the unquenching market need for solid factual projects that can both be popular on linear channels and drive older viewers to streaming services.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The urgency of their push comes as major European companies undergo huge job losses — Volkswagen plans to cut 100,000 workers — which experts have said could drive political upheaval.
    — Morgan Chalfant, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • This week, SpaceX moved one step closer to its goal of building its direct-to-device Starlink Mobile service after the FCC approved the aerospace company’s application to deploy and operate 15,000 next-generation Starlink satellites.
    — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Wearable sensors could aid therapy The researchers envision garments that let users control video game characters or operate robots remotely.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Specifically, Nico Iamaleava struggled, fumbling once and throwing interceptions to Oregon’s Koi Perich and Jerry Mixon.
    — Elias Esquivel, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Moon, meanwhile, is struggling at school but on the precipice of adulthood; as the young woman begins to make her own decisions in life, Yue must relinquish a degree of maternal responsibility.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 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 13 Oct. 2026.

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