Synonyms for Work
34 senses across 2 parts of speech, powered by WordNet 3.0.
Words related to "Work" (verb) include work through, putter, carpenter, clerk, page.
Verb
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
"I will work hard to improve my grades" "she worked hard for better living conditions for the poor"
More specific
work throughputtercarpenterclerkpagewaitpull one's weightelectioneerassistbeaverwork atplug awaybusycollaboratevolunteer
be employed
"Is your husband working again?" "My wife never worked" "Do you want to work after the age of 60?" "She never did any work because she inherited a lot of money" "She works as a waitress to put herself through college"
Synonyms
do work
More specific
servebankfilldrivetinkerfinklaborfarmmoonlightjobmanslavesubcontractturn a trickfreelance
have an effect or outcome; often the one desired or expected
"The voting process doesn't work as well as people thought" "How does your idea work in practice?" "This method doesn't work" "The breaks of my new car act quickly" "The medicine works only if you take it with a lot of water"
Synonyms
act
Broader
succeed
perform as expected when applied
"The washing machine won't go unless it's plugged in" "Does this old car still run well?" "This old radio doesn't work anymore"
Synonyms
functionoperategorun
More specific
doublerollruncutservice
shape, form, or improve a material
"work stone into tools" "process iron" "work the metal"
Synonyms
work onprocess
More specific
hot-workcoldworkoverworkreworkracktooltill
Broader
transform
give a workout to
"Some parents exercise their infants" "My personal trainer works me hard" "work one's muscles" "this puzzle will exercise your mind"
Synonyms
exercisework out
More specific
warm up
proceed along a path
"work one's way through the crowd" "make one's way into the forest"
Synonyms
make
More specific
clawjostlebushwhack
Broader
pass
operate in a certain place, area, or specialty
"She works the night clubs" "The salesman works the Midwest" "This artist works mostly in acrylics"
proceed towards a goal or along a path or through an activity
"work your way through every problem or task" "She was working on her second martini when the guests arrived" "Start from the bottom and work towards the top"
Broader
go
move in an agitated manner
"His fingers worked with tension"
Broader
move
cause to happen or to occur as a consequence
"I cannot work a miracle" "wreak havoc" "bring comments" "play a joke" "The rain brought relief to the drought-stricken area"
Synonyms
bringplaywreakmake for
Broader
make
cause to work
"he is working his servants hard"
Synonyms
put to work
More specific
exercisewarm upcybernaterackoverwork
Broader
use
prepare for crops
"Work the soil" "cultivate the land"
Synonyms
cultivatecrop
More specific
overcrop
Broader
fix
behave in a certain way when handled
"This dough does not work easily" "The soft metal works well"
Broader
be
have and exert influence or effect
"The artist's work influenced the young painter" "She worked on her friends to support the political candidate"
Synonyms
influenceact upon
More specific
prejudiceimprintmilitatemanipulatecolorswingblackmailcarryget atfixdominate
Broader
affect
operate in or through
"Work the phones"
Broader
operate
cause to operate or function
"This pilot works the controls" "Can you work an electric drill?"
Broader
manage
provoke or excite
"The rock musician worked the crowd of young girls into a frenzy"
Broader
stimulate
gratify and charm, usually in order to influence
"the political candidate worked the crowds"
Broader
capture
make something, usually for a specific function
"She molded the rice balls carefully" "Form cylinders from the dough" "shape a figure" "Work the metal into a sword"
Synonyms
shapeformmoldmouldforge
More specific
carveswagechiplayercut outmachinegrindstamppuddlebeatpreformmoundhillroughcastreshape
Broader
create from raw material
move into or onto
"work the raisins into the dough" "the student worked a few jokes into his presentation" "work the body onto the flatbed truck"
More specific
stir
Broader
move
make uniform
"knead dough" "work the clay until it is soft"
Synonyms
knead
More specific
proofmasticate
Broader
manipulate
use or manipulate to one's advantage
"He exploit the new taxation system" "She knows how to work the system" "he works his parents for sympathy"
Synonyms
exploit
More specific
make hayplayavailpreyuse
Broader
use
find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand the meaning of
"did you solve the problem?" "Work out your problems with the boss" "this unpleasant situation isn't going to work itself out" "did you get it?" "Did you get my meaning?" "He could not work the math problem"
Synonyms
solvework outfigure outpuzzle outlick
More specific
answerriddlestrikeguessbreak
Broader
understand
cause to undergo fermentation
"We ferment the grapes for a very long time to achieve high alcohol content" "The vintner worked the wine in big oak vats"
Synonyms
ferment
More specific
vinify
Broader
convert
go sour or spoil
"The milk has soured" "The wine worked" "The cream has turned--we have to throw it out"
Synonyms
sourturnferment
Broader
change state
arrive at a certain condition through repeated motion
"The stitches of the hem worked loose after she wore the skirt many times"
Broader
become
Antonyms
idlemalfunction
Noun
activity directed toward making or doing something
"she checked several points needing further work"
Broader
activity
a product produced or accomplished through the effort or activity or agency of a person or thing
"it is not regarded as one of his more memorable works" "the symphony was hailed as an ingenious work" "he was indebted to the pioneering work of John Dewey" "the work of an active imagination" "erosion is the work of wind or water over time"
Synonyms
piece of work
Broader
product
the occupation for which you are paid
"he is looking for employment" "a lot of people are out of work"
Synonyms
employment
Broader
occupation
applying the mind to learning and understanding a subject (especially by reading)
"mastering a second language requires a lot of work" "no schools offer graduate study in interior design"
Synonyms
study
Broader
learning
(physics) a manifestation of energy; the transfer of energy from one physical system to another expressed as the product of a force and the distance through which it moves a body in the direction of that force
"work equals force times distance"
Broader
energy
a place where work is done
"he arrived at work early today"
Synonyms
workplace
Broader
geographic point
the total output of a writer or artist (or a substantial part of it)
"he studied the entire Wagnerian oeuvre" "Picasso's work can be divided into periods"
Synonyms
oeuvrebody of work
Broader
end product
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