works 1 of 2

present tense third-person singular of work
1
2
3
as in serves
to have a certain purpose the human kidneys work as a filtering system for the blood

Synonyms & Similar Words

4
as in operates
to produce a desired effect this headache remedy takes half an hour to work

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

5
6
as in uses
to control the mechanical operation of show me how to work the machine

Synonyms & Similar Words

7
8

works

2 of 2

noun

plural of work
as in factory
a building or set of buildings for the manufacturing of goods a glass works where high quality glassware is made

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 works
Verb
Cape Verde had an impressive qualification and is a strong unit that works very well together. Ben Church, CNN Money, 3 July 2026 The crew neckline, tie waist, and subtle side slit create a flattering silhouette that works equally well for cruise dinners, city exploring, and beachside evenings. Aashna Gheewalla, Travel + Leisure, 3 July 2026 Louis-Gabriel Nouchi adds that organizing well in advance allows the team to work on a lighter schedule this week, a far cry from the fashion stereotype that everyone works around the clock in the days leading up to a show. Laure Guilbault, Vogue, 23 June 2026 Dance, grief and memory carry the story forward as Mohini works toward rediscovering her artistic identity. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 3 July 2026 Bruce Fedman of Jasper and James Luxury Gifts, who works with many of Hollywood’s top studios and executives, says that is exactly the point. Merle Ginsberg, HollywoodReporter, 3 July 2026 KrebsOnSecurity reports that Popa works less like a traditional botnet built for quick attacks and more like a persistent tunneling system. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026 Anderson has since remarried and currently works as chief of staff for corporate development at payment technology company Celero Commerce. Bryan West, USA Today, 4 July 2026 The land transfer cleared its last regulatory hurdle June 26 with the approval by the California Transportation Commission, said Neil Thapar, an attorney who works as an advisor and legal consultant to Kai Poma. Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
Noun
The panel in question talked at length about how this scale of operation works, and what sorts of strategies work in that context. John Werner, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026 Classical works by Mendelssohn, Paganini and Massenet round out the film’s sonic world. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 28 June 2026 Yet despite several of these being substantial works by some of our most noted and venturesome composers, few bicentennial commissions have survived. Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026 Earlier this month, a group of 17 lower-value works were included in a two-day online sale from Millea Brothers Auctioneers based in Boonton, New Jersey. Sarah Douglas, ARTnews.com, 2 July 2026 Brooks, ever one for grandeur, once compared his approach in Blazing Saddles to Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, among the earliest works by the painter that are considered truly revolutionary. Adrienne Lafrance, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026 Papathanasopoulou said many of her past students have credited popular works inspired by the classics, including the Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief books and movies as well as the Hades video game franchise, for opening their minds to a field that may at first seem elitist. David MacK, CNN Money, 28 June 2026 Today, over 100 works by artists like François Boucher, Giulio Carpioni, Henri Strésor, and Jacob Marrel are spread across the corridors, restaurants and bars visible to all visitors—the tried and tested, with a fresh twist. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 July 2026 In the festival’s second Contrechamp competition, aimed at works pushing the boundaries of traditional animation, Dimitri Planchon and Jean-Paul Guigue’s Blaise won the Contrechamp Grand Prize. Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 27 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for works
Verb
  • In May, authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda declared outbreaks after lab tests detected the spread of Bundibugyo virus, which causes a type of Ebola disease.
    Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 6 July 2026
  • The water pressure then causes the vehicle to rise and slide on a thin layer of water between the tires and the road, making the driver lose control.
    STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 July 2026
Verb
  • Trust grows when a new product, service or AI feature solves a real challenge and delivers measurable business results.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • Many hijinks ensue, including a trip to Persia, a secret pregnancy, many threats to the life and chastity of the young couple, and a war in Egypt that unexpectedly solves everyone’s problems.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 June 2026
Verb
  • San Francisco serves as a prime example of how the roaring AI industry is helping drive economic growth more broadly, but masking the economic inequality of lower-and-middle-income families.
    Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 7 July 2026
  • The largely unfamiliar cast lend an air of unpredictability that serves the central mystery well, while the city itself — the bulk of the events take place in the brutalist confines of the Barbican Estate — plays an admirable supporting role.
    Damon Wise, Deadline, 6 July 2026
Verb
  • The company operates another rideshare series as well, called Bandwagon, which has launched four missions to date.
    Mike Wall, Space.com, 7 July 2026
  • Trent operates fast fashion stores primarily in India under the brands Westside and Zudio.
    Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 7 July 2026
Verb
  • The moody Moon moves through your 7th House of Partnership as the Sun energizes your 11th House of Friends and Community, aligning cooperation with a larger purpose.
    Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 5 July 2026
  • Trainer Robert Ndungu moves between them, occasionally kneeling to demonstrate the correct technique.
    Christopher Clark, NPR, 5 July 2026
Verb
  • Summer uses a family trip to a Caribbean resort to cause chaos and sabotage the relationship.
    Brian Truitt, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • Unlike conventional ion traps that rely on oscillating radio-frequency fields, the Penning trap uses static electric and magnetic fields.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 July 2026
Verb
  • During contests, their stomachs stretch, heart rates rise, and digestion struggles to keep up, causing intense physical stress.
    Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • Her 12-year-old son, Whitman, has autism and a neurological disorder called apraxia, in which the brain struggles to tell muscles how to move to form words or perform other motor skills.
    Annie Ma, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
Verb
  • This configuration exploits the boundary layer of air flowing over the airframe to increase efficiency.
    David Szondy June 14, New Atlas, 14 June 2026
  • The hackers used a common tactic known as credential stuffing to access the data, which exploits weak and reused passwords.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Works.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/works. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on works

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!