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
These low-growing, mounding plants work well as ground covers, edging plants, or in containers. Lauren David, Southern Living, 6 July 2025 Nolan Gorman and Jordan Walker can also work their way back into that equation. Katie Woo, New York Times, 6 July 2025
Noun
The amount of work required to keep everything functioning properly outside simply isn't always. Sarah Lyon, Southern Living, 19 July 2025 Despite his large body of work as a MAGA sycophant, YouTuber Benny Johnson couldn’t swallow Trump’s logically torturous explanations of why his backers should just forget about Epstein. Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 19 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for work
Recent Examples of Synonyms for work
Verb
  • The Louisville Fire Department's budget allocation is causing disagreement between the firefighters union and city officials.
    Lillian Metzmeier, The Courier-Journal, 22 July 2025
  • Particles from wildfire smoke can cause minor symptoms, such as mild eye or throat irritation, or more serious heart and lung issues in some cases, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
    Maia Pandey, jsonline.com, 22 July 2025
Verb
  • Tune in for short episodes every Wednesday and Saturday as Grumpy answers reader questions, solves seasonal conundrums, and provides need-to-know advice for gardeners with his very Grumpy sense of humor.
    Steve Bender, Southern Living, 19 July 2025
  • Luckily, Wayfair solved this predicament with its new apartment storefront, packed with storage solutions for living in a small space.
    Jacqueline Tempera, People.com, 19 July 2025
Verb
  • The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe serves Seabreeze chocolates for turndown service.
    Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 July 2025
  • Malik served as a communications, outreach, policy, and constituent services intern at Mamdani's state Assembly office during the summer of 2024.
    Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 15 July 2025
Verb
  • Cauley is on her own tour, performing four shows a week in different cities across the U.S., and will be headlining at Zanie's Comedy Club on July 31.
    Laura L. Davis, The Tennessean, 22 July 2025
  • On July 14, 2024, Tenacious D was performing at the ICC Sydney Theatre on, the day after the Trump rally shooting in Butler, Pa., where the current president was apparently grazed in the ear by a bullet allegedly fired by Crooks.
    William Earl, Variety, 21 July 2025
Verb
  • That in turn drove low wages for workers, high staff turnover and limited capacity for children.
    Rachel Wegner, The Tennessean, 26 July 2025
  • Top-of-funnel marketing drives awareness that manifests through other channels.
    Cody Greco, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025
Verb
  • The number of robotaxis operating in China is unclear but may top Waymo.
    Richard Brack, Austin American Statesman, 22 July 2025
  • At the Port of Detroit, U.S. Customs and Border Protection removed crew members from at least two cruise ships operating in the Great Lakes earlier this month, USA TODAY reports.
    Leah Olajide, Freep.com, 22 July 2025
Verb
  • The party of the president usually struggles in a midterm election like next year's race to replace Peters.
    M.L. Elrick, Freep.com, 23 July 2025
  • But AmeriCorps officials have struggled in recent years to provide financial information to auditors and have acknowledged the need for reforms.
    Dan Horn, The Enquirer, 23 July 2025
Verb
  • This is when the teen uses social conflict to express frustration.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
  • Large picture windows, used throughout the house, let in plenty of natural light while framing the beautiful sights of the surrounding countryside.
    James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 6 July 2025

Cite this Entry

“Work.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/work. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.

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