work 1 of 2

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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

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as in to operate
to control the mechanical operation of show me how to work the machine

Synonyms & Similar Words

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work

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noun

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as in composition
a literary, musical, or artistic production unfortunately, many of her works are now out of print

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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
Nick, the son of shipping tycoon Massimo Marone (Joseph Mascolo), often was depicted as an adventurous and ambitious man who worked as a sea captain. Lynette Rice, Deadline, 10 Apr. 2025 Doe sued Way in Jan. 2021, accusing him of raping and kidnapping her while working as his personal assistant starting in 2018. Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 10 Apr. 2025
Noun
Their work spans both natural and built environments, and is committed to the discovery of new material and social possibilities. Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 14 Apr. 2025 Other works expressed deep concern for his country. Reuters, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for work
Recent Examples of Synonyms for work
Verb
  • The tariff file has caused a high level of uncertainty both for consumers and businesses.
    Robert Barone, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
  • And there’s a biological reason for it: Broken heart syndrome occurs when intense emotional stress causes your heart to temporarily stop pumping properly, leading to symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath, and fainting.
    Kathleen Ferraro, SELF, 15 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Years of investigation and interrogation failed to definitively solve the mystery of McPherson’s vanishing.
    Casey Cep, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025
  • And it won’t be solved by job descriptions, dashboards, or top-down messaging.
    Nirit Cohen, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Parks also served as a campaign reporter for the network during the 2016 election cycle and was the first network reporter assigned to cover U.S Senator Bernie Sanders' bid for the White House.
    ABC News, ABC News, 11 Apr. 2025
  • In fact, her personal hatred of gripping challenges even served as her Survivor hot take below.
    Dalton Ross, EW.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • But while most saw the moment as a liberating one for women, Horsell saw it as another instance of a female playing top-level sport without the necessary support to perform at her best.
    Asif Burhan, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
  • Playing live for people on the street, then climbing up on this massive couch to perform?
    James Dinh, Billboard, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The Ontario Home Builders’ Association warned last month that tariffs and counter-tariffs on steel and aluminum products would likely drive up the costs of construction materials, making building and buying new homes more expensive, worsening the housing affordability issue.
    Hira Humayun, CNN Money, 20 Apr. 2025
  • The study found a 6% annual decline, driven by poaching, habitat loss and weak law enforcement.
    Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 19 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The district would have the authority to plan, purchase, build and operate the facilities to provide water for domestic, municipal and commercial use.
    Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Apr. 2025
  • The Chinese military has expanded its reach and presence by building advanced warships and operating far from the country's coastline.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • And their struggling offense is becoming a major concern.
    Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Behind her glamorous exterior, the real Dorothy was a closeted lesbian who struggled with substance abuse and was mistreated by the men within Hollywood’s studio system before ultimately committing suicide.
    Abby Monteil, Them., 17 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The team used surrogate dogs -- since adopted through the humane society -- to help give birth to the dire wolves, which are white.
    Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 11 Apr. 2025
  • Prosecutors said Mahdi constantly used brutality to solve his problems.
    CBS News, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Work.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/work. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.

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