public works

plural noun

: works (such as schools, highways, docks) constructed for public use or enjoyment especially when financed and owned by the government

Examples of public works in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The site, located at the city’s public works building, will be open Mondays and Wednesdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2:20 p.m. and Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to noon until Nov. 15, according to the city’s website. Noah Mitchell, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025 The award is for excellence in the management, administration and implementation of a public works project, according to an Elgin Area Chamber of Commerce website post. Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2025 Large public works like wider streets and new parks are hard to insert into neighborhoods that are already full of hundreds of buildings and building owners. Emily Badger, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2025 The reservoir had been choked with cyanobacteria, leading to public health advisories that warned people not to touch or swim in the water and putting financial stress on the local public works department. Diana Kruzman, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for public works 

Word History

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of public works was in 1600

Dictionary Entries Near public works

Cite this Entry

“Public works.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/public%20works. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

public works

plural noun
: works (as schools, highways, or docks) constructed with public funds for public use

More from Merriam-Webster on public works

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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