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

1
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
Both work very well to ensure that the dirt, dust, and grime are actually coming out of the tiny grooves on your record. Parker Hall, WIRED, 8 Mar. 2025 As of late, Goodman, an Oscar winner, has been working mostly in the TV space. Jack Dunn, Variety, 8 Mar. 2025
Noun
Listen to this article Aubrey Lay — a Fulbright scholar — was supposed to get paid for three months of work by the U.S. government through his teaching assistantship at a school for Ukrainian refugees in Estonia. Heather Hollingsworth, Chicago Tribune, 9 Mar. 2025 Health providers were lauded as heroes at the start of the pandemic, and some even reported improved wellbeing at work, citing more time spent with patients and less spent on paperwork. Maya Goldman, Axios, 9 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for work
Recent Examples of Synonyms for work
Verb
  • Untreated blood clots can affect blood supply to the brain and cause a life-threatening stroke, per the outlet.
    Latoya Gayle, People.com, 11 Mar. 2025
  • The common cold and diseases like influenza are caused by germs called viruses.
    Jennifer Welsh, Verywell Health, 11 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Now, that’s not to say that Trump is going to solve anything.
    David Remnick, The New Yorker, 9 Mar. 2025
  • Puzzle after puzzle requires clever thinking and, most importantly, collaborative effort to solve.
    Erik Kain, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Masataka Yoshida has been serving as DH in spring games but is still working his way back from offseason shoulder surgery and has not started throwing.
    Jen McCaffrey, The Athletic, 8 Mar. 2025
  • But unlike oil or even cabbage, crypto does not serve the core functioning of society.
    Ben Walsh, The Atlantic, 8 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The company's future braking system is highly integrated into the vehicle and performs nearly 100 functions.
    Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025
  • Mexican musician Natanael Cano, who has yet to perform in the United States, has been tapped as the Sunday Special Performer.
    Thania Garcia, Variety, 11 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Decision-makers have an opportunity to ensure that the very tools designed to drive revenue don’t end up stifling creativity.
    Seth Yudof, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2025
  • So, does your workplace use curiosity to drive meaningful results?
    Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Pininfarina has been operating its wind tunnel since 1972, and has been updating it to further support two-wheeler manufacturers more recently.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 11 Mar. 2025
  • Seven vital missile batteries The two SAMP/Ts and six Patriots the Ukrainian air force currently operates should, in theory, provide slightly more than the bare minimum of long-range air-defense coverage of the biggest Ukrainian cities.
    David Axe, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Still, with fewer employees, the department may struggle to meet the demands of a growing number of applicants.
    Scott White, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
  • England have struggled at the latter position in recent years, and with Newcastle United’s Lewis Hall out injured until next season, Spence could be Tuchel’s best option there already.
    Oliver Kay, The Athletic, 13 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Very quickly, Nate learns to use his affliction to his advantage via such methods as grabbing a blazing hot frying pan and pummeling his stunned opponent with it during a kitchen fight.
    Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Mar. 2025
  • Not unlike the human snowbirds, hundreds of actual birds use Port Aransas and neighboring Mustang Island as a popular resting place in their seasonal migratory patterns through the Central Flyway.
    Mariah Tyler, Travel + Leisure, 8 Mar. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Work.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/work. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.

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