works 1 of 2

Definition of worksnext
present tense third-person singular of work
1
2
3
as in serves
to have a certain purpose the human kidneys work as a filtering system for the blood

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

7
8

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
The villa layout works great for families needing space. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026 Churning out lazy, uninspired movies no longer works, even if they're attached to a previously important brand name. Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 June 2026 Later works remix art-historical references more subtly but with like-minded abandon. Jeremy Lybarger, Artforum, 2 June 2026 The arrangement works until Old Second falls in love with Shun-Er, whose wife, Yan Hua does not take it well. Literary Hub, 26 May 2026 Atallah works with non-governmental organizations to run free classes for migrant workers, girls and women in refugee camps and those in the LGBT community - among the most marginalized and vulnerable in society. Jane Arraf, NPR, 25 May 2026 The course focuses on explaining how modern AI works without requiring programming knowledge. Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 25 May 2026 Method 1 is gentle and works well for light stains or regular maintenance. Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 25 May 2026 Victor Fluke recommends choosing the level of control that works best for you. Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 25 May 2026
Noun
Partners have received works by Hans Memling, Rembrandt, van Dyck, Matisse, Cézanne, Degas, Georgia O’Keeffe, Alma Thomas, Mark Rothko, and so on. Greg Allen, ARTnews.com, 7 June 2026 Other works rely more heavily on easy sentiment. Ray Mark Rinaldi, Denver Post, 7 June 2026 Crystal Bridges acquired one of Sully's works, a portrait of Gutzon Borglum, the sculptor who carved Mount Rushmore. Elizabeth Cantrell, Travel + Leisure, 6 June 2026 Bold color combinations like yellow, pink, and olive prove burgundy works surprisingly well with vibrant or earthy hues, creating outfits that feel rich, balanced, and fashion-forward. Katherine J Igoe, InStyle, 5 June 2026 Long before scarcity, Japanese craftsmanship and collector-driven storytelling became ubiquitous across independent luxury eyewear JMM, as the brand is commonly called among collectors, which helped position frames more like watches, jewelry or works of design. Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 4 June 2026 According to organizers, the AfroCuban setlist will touch on works by such luminaries as Eddie Palmieri, Ray Barretto, Marco and many others. Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 4 June 2026 In his gorgeous and arresting debut, Nick Martino hurtles through a variety of forms—from sonnets to visual poems to works of visual art—to vividly portray and reflect on a teenager’s world during and after the speaker’s parents’ divorce and his father’s incarceration. Craig Morgan Teicher, Literary Hub, 1 June 2026 Traditional shore power projects can take three to seven years or more to complete, often requiring substation upgrades, grid reinforcement, major civil works, and lengthy permitting processes. Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 31 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for works
Verb
  • Folate deficiency causes a type of anemia called megaloblastic anemia.
    Angela Ryan Lee, Verywell Health, 4 June 2026
  • If a tool causes friction, map the workflow on paper, then simplify steps and confirm responsibilities with the group.
    PubSubHub User, Baltimore Sun, 4 June 2026
Verb
  • Version one of a SaaS is a Notion template that solves the problem manually before code gets written.
    Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
  • Imagine a mayor who solves problems instead of preserving them to justify more funding.
    Susan Shelley, Oc Register, 30 May 2026
Verb
  • Police and fire rescue experts say this is also serves a reminder to always wear personal flotation devices in and around rivers, creeks, ditches and lakes.
    Dillon Thomas, CBS News, 4 June 2026
  • The spa serves as a sanctuary for adults looking to relax, and golfers can disappear for the day at the 18-hole course designed by the legendary Donald Ross.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 June 2026
Verb
  • The department also operates Brinc Lemur S units for indoor tactical situations and the autonomous DJI Box 3 with Matrice 4TD — a drone-in-a-box platform that is programmed to launch, navigate and return to base entirely on its own.
    Walker Armstrong, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 June 2026
  • CoreCivic purchased the facility from the county in October 1996 and currently owns and operates the facility.
    Logan Smith, CBS News, 7 June 2026
Verb
  • As the aircraft moves backward, the pilot starts each of the primary engines and brings them up to a stable idle.
    David Szondy June 07, New Atlas, 7 June 2026
  • Printed circuit boards are the nervous system of every modern device, and when board costs spike, the pain moves fast through phones, laptops, wearables, gaming consoles, routers, and AI servers.
    Kevin Williams, CNBC, 7 June 2026
Verb
  • One of the most criticized uses a four-letter word widely considered homophobic.
    Michael Rios, CNN Money, 7 June 2026
  • This gray-and-white kitchen uses two-tone paint and Shaker-style fronts for a classic design.
    Lauren Jones, The Spruce, 6 June 2026
Verb
  • In it, a Native Hawaiian family struggles to reclaim the ancestral lands that colonization, tourism, and rampant development threaten to overrun.
    Gabrielle Bellot, Literary Hub, 29 May 2026
  • Over the last few years, Keira has lost her ability to speak, has started having seizures, and struggles more and more with walking.
    Elise Esposito, Boston Herald, 29 May 2026
Verb
  • The hackers used a common tactic known as credential stuffing to access the data, which exploits weak and reused passwords.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026
  • The addition was a prompt injection, a form of AI attack that exploits an LLM’s inability to distinguish between legitimate user prompts and those from unauthorized, potentially malicious third parties.
    Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 28 May 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Works.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/works. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on works

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster