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works 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of work
1
as in causes
to be the cause of (a situation, action, or state of mind) this new drug can really work wonders

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Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in solves
to find an answer for through reasoning finally figured out how to work the math problem

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3
as in serves
to have a certain purpose the human kidneys work as a filtering system for the blood

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in moves
to set or keep in motion this pump is worked by hand

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in uses
to control the mechanical operation of show me how to work the machine

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7
as in struggles
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in exploits
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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works

2 of 2

noun

plural of work
as in factory
a building or set of buildings for the manufacturing of goods a glass works where high quality glassware is made

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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 works
Verb
Fifteen of the euro area’s 21 countries still lack a domestic digital payment solution, according to the ECB, and no current European payment scheme works seamlessly across the entire bloc. — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026 At other moments, we are drawn magnetically into the myriad questions these works open up. — Tina M. Campt, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026 The actor is outspoken about his progressive politics and works closely with many different organizations. — Carole Horst, Variety, 30 Sep. 2026 The field sales company, which works with retailers including Sephora and Ulta Beauty, surveyed 400 members of its field team on the state of beauty shoppers today. — Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2026 The product works with your skin’s microbiome to balance your natural scent. — Gina Vaynshteyn, StyleCaster, 30 Sep. 2026 How red light therapy works Red light therapy exposes skin to low levels of red and near-infrared light without heat or burning. — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 29 Sep. 2026 Educating yourself about chronic spontaneous urticaria and figuring out what works for you can make an enormous difference. — Victoria Ekwenuke, Glamour, 23 Sep. 2026 Hafoka moved to Sacramento in 1996 from Auckland, New Zealand, and in her day job works as an analyst for the California Parks and Recreation Department. — Sacbee.com, 23 Sep. 2026
Noun
This aspect of his practice can also be seen in two other works that also underwent technical analysis courtesy C2RMF. — Sarah Belmont, ARTnews.com, 29 Sep. 2026 New works by Mexican artist Gabriel Guzmán, American artist Betty Woodman and Lee Ufan have been selected to commemorate France’s diplomatic anniversaries with Mexico, the United States and Korea. — Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2026 Frieze Sculpture Abu Dhabi will include Zeinab Alhashemi’s The Nut and Bolt, alongside works by Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim, Imran Qureshi, and Kamran Samimi. — News Desk, Artforum, 29 Sep. 2026 For its 20th anniversary, IDFA DocLab unveils the first projects, including the two winners of the Film Fund DocLab Interactive Grant and new works developed through a two-year research program, Shared Realities. — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 29 Sep. 2026 There’s the largest assemblage of Lichtenstein mirror works ever installed together in a museum context, and a complete re-creation of his first Pop art show at Leo Castelli’s gallery uptown. — Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 22 Sep. 2026 In a gallery space adjoinint the front room at Pace are 14 ceramic works, a series titled Touching Ground. — Grace Edquist, Vogue, 22 Sep. 2026 Suzhou MoCA has kicked off operations with an exhibition featuring works by Pablo Picasso that influenced artists across Europe, as well as a show curated by BIG exploring how diverse materials shape the studio's approach to structural design. — Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 21 Sep. 2026 What started as a few comic pieces has since grown into a diverse collection of more than 40,000 works, all of which tell a story. — Nava Rawls, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for works
  1. causes
  2. solves
  3. serves
  4. operates
  5. moves
  6. uses
  7. struggles
  8. exploits
Verb
  • This causes the cement paint and patching compound to dry too quickly.
    — Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Instead, excess testosterone is converted into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which causes the hair follicles to become smaller and then the hair strands to become thinner.
    — Lindsey Bever, Washington Post, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of causes
Verb
  • Keep what users clearly value, remove what solves no proven need and rebuild only where the feedback shows a stronger path.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026
  • For public transit commuters, an e-scooter solves the first-mile/last-mile challenge, bridging the gap between home, train stations, and office doors without relying on rideshare services or waiting for connecting buses.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of solves
Verb
  • The 162-acre retreat, located less than a mile from downtown, serves as one of Lawrenceville’s great gathering places.
    — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 27 Sep. 2026
  • ConnCAT and ConnCORP founder Carlton Highsmith, who serves as the board chair of both organizations, had already announced his own plans to step down at the end of the year.
    — P.R. Lockhart, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of serves
Verb
  • The British tech unicorn, which operates a string of AI-ready data centres in the US and Europe and is backed by the deep pockets of Nvidia, has filed for an IPO on the New York Stock Exchange.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 27 Sep. 2026
  • The Resolutions Living home operates in a regulatory gray area and is not authorized to provide medical care.
    — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of operates
Verb
  • Officials urge residents to use caution Nor’easters are not unusual as New England moves into fall, but this one is coming early in the season.
    — Matthew Mulligan, NBC news, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Officials urge caution Nor’easters are not unusual as New England moves into fall, but this one is coming early in the season.
    — Leah Willingham, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of moves
Verb
  • The final design uses a carbon fiber frame with a central battery and eight arms supporting the motors and propellers.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The main restaurant uses 70 percent local suppliers, and the hotel’s water supply is harnessed from rainwater tanks.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of uses
Verb
  • The nation's flood insurance program struggles to balance affordability, flood protection and cost to taxpayers, leaving millions vulnerable at a time when climate change is driving flood risk higher.
    — MICHAEL PHILLIS, Arkansas Online, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Next up was Christian Pulisic, dubbed Captain America, who is arguably a bit better but struggles with consistency.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of struggles
Verb
  • BlueMoon exploits two Chromium vulnerabilities and one in the kernel of Windows 10 (Oct 2018 Update), Windows Server 2019, Windows 10 2004, Windows Server 2022, and the initial release of Windows 11.
    — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 9 Sep. 2026
  • At each turn, a heartbreaking picture comes into sharper focus, underscoring Ricki’s destructive appetite that exploits Rita’s deepest needs and fears under the guise of friendship and no-judgement sisterhood.
    — Tomris Laffly, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of exploits

Browse Nearby Words

workrooms
works
works (at)
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Cite this Entry

“Works.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/works. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.

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