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Synonyms

works

British  
/ wɜːks /

plural noun

  1. (often functioning as singular) a place where a number of people are employed, such as a factory

  2. the sum total of a writer's or artist's achievements, esp when considered together

    the works of Shakespeare

  3. the deeds of a person, esp virtuous or moral deeds performed as religious acts

    works of charity

  4. the interior parts of the mechanism of a machine, etc

    the works of a clock

  5. informal in preparation

  6. See spanner

  7. slang

    1. full or extreme treatment

    2. a very violent physical beating

      to give someone the works

  8. slang a syringe

  9. (modifier) of or denoting a racing car, etc, that is officially entered by a manufacturer in an event

    a works entry

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“I’m not afraid of the Trump administration or of speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel, which is what the church works for,” Leo XIV said.

From Salon • Apr. 14, 2026

Devin Fox, a 26-year-old Ella fella, has posted several videos about Langley’s music from the fire station where he works as a firefighter and paramedic.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

Understanding how mitochondrial pearling works and how it is controlled could provide important insights into diseases linked to mtDNA.

From Science Daily • Apr. 13, 2026

She tells BBC Eye she works hard at school.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

Bat ignored the lava question, but about the paste he said, “Glue works better than paste. The paste gets all weird and flaky when it dries.”

From "A Boy Called Bat" by Elana K. Arnold