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

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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

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

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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

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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 law raised the maximum age from 54 to 64 for those required to work, volunteer or participate in job training at least 80 hours a month to receive benefits. — Cuyler Dunn, Kansas City Star, 25 Aug. 2026 As for London, the role marks a full-circle moment for her and Snoop who worked together in the early 2000s on various music videos. — Justin Kroll, Deadline, 25 Aug. 2026
Noun
Her work has appeared in SHOWstudio, i-D, Marie Claire, and more. — Alexandra Hildreth, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2026 Just the beginning of the investigation Despite all the work that has been done so far, there are still many unanswered questions and barriers to overcome to solve the case. — Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026 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
  • One day, Cole paged through an album whose acidic glues caused her particular anguish.
    — Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The rocks and melted water then swelled the rivers in the valleys below, causing a torrent of water that swept buildings, bridges and earth downstream in Tibet and Nepal.
    — Victoria Milko, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of cause
Verb
  • But Robert could help solve some of Toronto’s greatest issues.
    — Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • These layoffs are freeing up brilliant minds to solve real-world problems, creating new companies and an economy built on innovation beyond consumer apps.
    — Lisa Curtis, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of solve
Verb
  • Many market participants believe these results will serve as a crucial bellwether to test whether the AI rally can sustain its momentum.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • That’s what being mean to Heather is like and, so far this season, that is the only meal we’ve been served.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of serve
Verb
  • Prior to touching down in Canada, Perry had been performing Down Under for an extended run.
    — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2026
  • While the festival’s total donation pool is yet unclear, Rodrigo has said that all artists on the lineup are performing for free, though production and staffing costs for a fest this size will be substantial.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of perform
Verb
  • As such, this is meant to be a workhorse that's also enjoyable to drive.
    — Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The song has a driving bass line and would be interesting to perform with a live band.
    — Christine Terrisse, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of drive
Verb
  • Some help surgeons operate with greater precision, while others disinfect rooms, transport supplies, assist patients during rehabilitation, or provide comfort to people who are distressed.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Eight other reservoirs operated by the Bureau of Reclamation recently recorded the lowest levels in at least the last 30 years.
    — Wufei Yu, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of operate
Verb
  • Three days later, the team brought in Moody, the former Michigan standout who has also struggled at times in his young career.
    — Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Restaurants and private grocery stores are struggling to stay open because of higher supply costs and lower consumption.
    — Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of struggle
Verb
  • Researchers have developed a new vision algorithm that lets humanoid robots perceive depth more like humans, using two forward-facing eyes.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Earlier this month, The Financial Times appended a note to a guest column after readers questioned whether it was written using AI.
    — Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of use

Phrases Containing work

Browse Nearby Words

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 1 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on work

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about work

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