Synonyms of works

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• causes
• creates
• brings
• does
• generates
• prompts
• produces
• spawns
• yields
• invokes
• makes
• effects
• induces
• draws on
• brings about
• occasions
• translates (into)
• catalyzes
• brings on
• gives rise to
• brings forth
• begets
• results (in)
• engenders
• breeds
• effectuates
• encourages
• promotes
• introduces
• contributes (to)
• founds
• develops
• determines
• begins
• initiates
• launches
• establishes
• decides
• institutes
• starts
• fathers
• inaugurates
• sets up
• renders
• conduces (to)
• fosters
• cultivates
• enacts
• furthers
• turns out
• sets
• innovates
• nourishes
• advances
• pioneers
• nurtures
• forwards

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• limits
• restricts
• impedes
• controls
• suppresses
• checks
• inhibits
• represses
• reins (in)
• squashes
• crushes
• puts down
• arrests
• subdues
• dampens
• curbs
• smothers
• stifles
• restrains
• retards
• kills
• destroys
• cans
• stills
• quells
• squelches
• cracks down (on)
• clamps down (on)
• abolishes
• quashes
• extinguishes
• liquidates
• demolishes
• quenches
• snuffs (out)

2

as in solves

to find an answer for through reasoning

finally figured out how to work the math problem

Synonyms & Similar Words

• solves
• unravels
• answers
• resolves
• works out
• figures out
• riddles (out)
• puzzles (out)
• cracks
• concludes
• deciphers
• decides
• breaks
• unriddles
• gathers
• judges
• reasons
• infers
• deduces
• dopes (out)
• assumes
• presumes
• speculates
• straightens (out)
• guesses
• clears (up)
• unties
• irons out
• divines
• conjectures
• unscrambles
• decodes
• untangles

3

as in serves

to have a certain purpose

the human kidneys work as a filtering system for the blood

Synonyms & Similar Words

• serves
• acts
• functions
• performs
• operates
• runs
• guides
• manages
• controls
• handles
• regulates
• directs
• administers
• supervises
• oversees
• carries on

4

as in operates

to produce a desired effect

this headache remedy takes half an hour to work

Synonyms & Similar Words

• operates
• performs
• takes
• acts
• reacts
• responds
• results
• takes effect
• behaves
• affects
• takes hold
• influences
• sways
• redounds
• pans out

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• backfires
• fizzles

5

as in moves

to set or keep in motion

this pump is worked by hand

Synonyms & Similar Words

• moves
• drives
• activates
• propels
• actuates
• stimulates
• impels
• triggers
• motivates
• provokes
• raises
• sets off
• ferments
• trips
• inspires
• incites
• stirs (up)
• whips (up)
• excites
• abets
• arouses
• fires (up)
• foments
• rouses
• galvanizes
• instigates
• inflames

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• contains
• controls
• regulates
• checks
• inhibits
• reins (in)
• constrains
• curbs
• restrains
• bridles

6

as in uses

to control the mechanical operation of

show me how to work the machine

Synonyms & Similar Words

• operates
• uses
• handles
• runs
• drives
• manipulates
• maneuvers
• controls
• wields
• guides
• directs
• steers
• pilots
• plies
• commands

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• struggles
• strives
• labors
• endeavors
• tries
• tugs
• slaves
• plows
• toils
• hustles
• digs (away)
• sweats
• pegs (away)
• plugs
• humps
• travails
• bangs away
• plods
• grubs
• sweats blood
• fags
• strains
• slogs
• drudges
• moils
• applies (oneself)
• exercises
• beavers (away)
• buckles (down)
• drives
• attacks
• exerts
• knuckles down
• hammers (away)
• pitches in
• essays
• digs in
• grinds (out)
• ekes out
• overworks
• scratches
• overexerts
• wades
• puts out
• trudges
• scrabbles

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• breaks
• slackens
• eases (up)
• lets up
• hangs (around or out)
• slacks (off)
• rests
• idles
• plays
• shirks
• goofs (off)
• goldbricks
• loafs
• bums
• lounges
• lazes
• dallies
• chills
• reposes
• dillydallies
• hacks (around)
• unwinds
• relaxes
• hangs
• basks
• lolls
• dabbles
• footles
• fribbles
• fools around
• vegges out
• hangs about
• messes around
• doodles
• goofs (around)
• trifles
• putters (around)
• potters (around)
• monkeys (around)

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• uses
• exploits
• leverages
• abuses
• plays (on or upon)
• manipulates
• imposes (on or upon)
• walks on
• capitalizes (on)
• milks
• trades on
• cashes in (on)
• pimps
• mistreats
• cheats
• commodifies
• jerks around
• sticks
• overcharges
• commercializes
• soaks
• bleeds
• skins
• fleeces

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

• factory
• mill
• plant
• shop
• workshop
• manufactory
• studio
• workplace
• sweatshop
• atelier
• workroom
• yard

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of works

Verb

The company pointed out that there is a natural learning curve and that the tech usually works for most people without issue. — Sebastian Herrera, Fortune, 24 Sep. 2026

In the end, choosing a wedding dress bustle comes down to what works best for the bride and their dress. — Shelby Wax, Vogue, 23 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

With the Schmiede high roof offering permanent standing height throughout the living area, the Nugget's optional rear toilet room works even better than in the pop-up version. — New Atlas, 23 Sep. 2026

As the School Board of Broward County works toward a decision on what schools will face closures, a new count shows an even larger drop in the number of students enrolled than had been registered on the first day of school. — Natalie La Roche Pietri, Miami Herald, 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

On Tuesday, the company unveiled AIForce, a live interface that works across the Salesforce ecosystem. — Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2026

Gamification works when the product itself starts borrowing the psychology and structure of a good game. — Michal Rahamim, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2026

Noun

Yet Marcon’s works defy old-world tempos with their pacing (the shots in Monelle, 2017, last no more than a second each), their length (several clock in at under five minutes), and, of course, the seeming ease with which they can be summarized. — Matthew McLean, Artforum, 22 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

The utilitarian silhouette works as a seasonal transition piece for windy, rainy spring or fall days, according to Vogue. — Lauren Schuster, Kansas City Star, 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

The concert features organ works by the American composers Horatio Parker and Samuel Barber. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 19 Sep. 2026

The result is a beautiful array of original paintings, photography and even sculptural works that pepper the offices with names like Petra Cortright and Spencer Lewis. — Oren Peleg, HollywoodReporter, 14 Sep. 2026