works 1 of 2

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

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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
Stiller works the camera courtside. Chelsea Stahl, NBC news, 9 June 2026 What kind of web survives the transition The technical question of how AI reads the web is also turning into a question about how the web works when AI is one of its main readers. Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 8 June 2026 For swampy summer days, style your black Bermudas with a something airy; a bikini top works perfectly and nods at the swimwear-as-streetwear trend taking over every major city this summer. India Roby, Glamour, 8 June 2026 Chia pudding with mango works well because chia seeds thicken overnight in almond milk and can be topped with diced mango and granola in the morning. Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 8 June 2026 Sometimes that works for a little while. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 8 June 2026 McParland, known for FX’s limited series Say Nothing and Paramount+’s Halo, will play William Kenward, the Surrey Constable who works alongside Jacques Pieters (Cassel) in the search for Christie. Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 8 June 2026 Somebody who is a first-time homebuyer and has a lot of questions about how a home purchase process works. Charlotte Observer, 8 June 2026 The villa layout works great for families needing space. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 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
  • Thomas said that Pro solves a unique issue that institutional traders face in the prediction market space.
    Davis Giangiulio, CNBC, 8 June 2026
  • The brain solves problems differently when it’s not being forced to.
    William Jones June 8, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 June 2026
Verb
  • Amasa, a Latin American steakhouse; Bar Amasa, the upstairs taqueria; and Bar Rocco, an Italian restaurant that also serves an elegant brunch, helmed by celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 June 2026
  • In addition to its dozens of craft beers and cocktails available at each location, University of Beer serves classic bar fare and elevated takes on the cuisine.
    Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 11 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

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Cite this Entry

“Works.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/works. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.

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