work 1 of 2

verb

ˈwərk How to pronounce work (audio)
Definition of worknext
1
as in to cause
to be the cause of (a situation, action, or state of mind) this new drug can really work wonders

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to solve
to find an answer for through reasoning finally figured out how to work the math problem

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3
as in to serve
to have a certain purpose the human kidneys work as a filtering system for the blood

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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
5
as in to drive
to set or keep in motion this pump is worked by hand

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to operate
to control the mechanical operation of show me how to work the machine

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7
as in to struggle
to devote serious and sustained effort the organization has worked for years to raise people's awareness of human rights issues

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in to use
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

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work

2 of 2

noun

1
as in composition
a literary, musical, or artistic production unfortunately, many of her works are now out of print

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2
as in production
something produced by physical or intellectual effort the new Web application is the work of a pair of young but highly gifted programmers

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3
as in job
the action for which a person or thing is specially fitted or used or for which a thing exists the work of a movie director is to tell a story through a series of striking images

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4
as in effort
the active use of energy in producing a result put a lot of work into the project

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in profession
the activity by which one regularly makes a living what line of work are you in?

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
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
The Testaments has been in active development at the streamer with MGM since Miller began working on the series in earnest back in 2022. — Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 1 Apr. 2025 However, with players like Broome and Pettiford averaging below NCAA average at the free throw line, Florida could use a similar strategy that worked against Texas Tech in the previous round, where the team intentionally fouled with over two minutes remaining, which helped aid their comeback. — Tyler Small, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2025
Noun
The decline comes amid protests held at Tesla dealerships both in the U.S. and Europe over CEO Elon Musk's work with the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. — Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2025 The scene will portray oil workers getting in their trucks and heading to work, thus a dirty vehicle is a must. — Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for work
Recent Examples of Synonyms for work
  1. cause
  2. solve
  3. serve
  4. perform
  5. drive
  6. operate
  7. struggle
  8. use
Verb
  • This chronic condition causes patches of lighter skin.
    — Carrie Madormo, RN, Health, 4 Apr. 2025
  • The judge found that allowing the reservoir expansion to continue without redoing the permits would cause irreparable environmental damage that cannot be compensated for by monetary payments.
    — Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of cause
Verb
  • Even in tools available today, programs that can generate artwork and solve coding problems are among the most popular.
    — Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2025
  • It had been stated before, that Starfleet ships in the 23rd century didn’t have holodecks, but suddenly here is one — that grid pattern is unmistakable — and the crew seems to be using it to solve a whodunnit, Christie-style.
    — Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 2 Apr. 2025
Definition of solve
Verb
  • The company includes Florida Blue, trade name of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, and now serves over 38 million people across 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands with more than 18,000 employees.
    — Bruce Japsen, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2025
  • The role of lawyers truly isn't to serve as cheerleaders for any one administration.
    — Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2025
Definition of serve
Verb
  • Tina also revealed that the officiant for the event was her minister, Rudy Rasmus, who also performed the ceremony for Tina and Solange.
    — Emy LaCroix, People.com, 4 Apr. 2025
  • In addition to taking your medical history and performing a thorough physical exam, your provider may recommend the following tests:10 Skin biopsy: Your provider may take a skin sample and send it to the lab to look for signs of infection.
    — Carrie Madormo, RN, Health, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of perform
Verb
  • Ultimately, the league’s decision-making on NBA expansion will be driven by a combination of market size, media presence, economic factors, and ownership interest.
    — Giovanni Malloy, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Detained in Louisiana After her arrest on Tuesday night, Ozturk was driven to multiple government offices in New England, a spokesperson for Ozturk’s legal team.
    — Gloria Pazmino, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2025
Definition of drive
Verb
  • Immigration policy experts say the case is consistent with how Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been operating under the new administration: The goal is meeting quotas, rather than targeted enforcement.
    — Polo Sandoval, CNN Money, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Will Leather Goods, which has operated a pop-up location in the Stockyards since November 2024, is converting the space into a permanent store that is expected to open in June of this year.
    — Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of operate
Verb
  • The Royals struggled to pick up his sweeper and slider combination.
    — Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 5 Apr. 2025
  • The 25-year-old struggled to impact the game and there was a disconnect between her and Clinton, her United team-mate.
    — Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025
Definition of struggle
Verb
  • Booker, who appeared to have nothing more than two glasses of water and notes on his lectern, skillfully used the rules to his advantage, permitting colleagues to ask questions to give himself brief moments of rest while still maintaining control of the floor.
    — Nik Popli, Time, 2 Apr. 2025
  • Rather than use conventional watch hands, his system featured rotating discs inscribed with the minutes and hours, which were hidden beneath the watch’s main dial.
    — Oren Hartov, Robb Report, 1 Apr. 2025
Definition of use

Phrases Containing work

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wore to a frazzle
work
workability
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Cite this Entry

“Work.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/work. Accessed 10 Apr. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on work

Nglish: Translation of work for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about work

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