in the works

prepositional phrase

Being planned or worked upon.

“Be careful not to get any debris in the works.”

Similar
in the hopperon the anvil
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Meanings

prepositional phrase
  1. idiomaticBeing planned or worked upon.

    They always have some wonderful new project in the works.

    Synonyms: in the hopper, on the anvil

  2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: In a mechanism or machine.

    Be careful not to get any debris in the works.

Synonyms & antonyms

prepositional phraseBeing planned or worked upon.

Similar
in the hopperon the anvil
Also see
in the hopperin the windon the anvil

Translations

Finnish työn alla
  • työn allabeing worked upon
Irish sna fonsaí tógála
  • sna fonsaí tógálabeing worked upon
Polish w przygotowaniu, w planach
  • w przygotowaniubeing worked upon
  • w planachbeing worked upon
Spanish en bosquejo, en proceso
  • en bosquejobeing worked upon
  • en procesobeing worked upon
Cite this entry
APA

in the works. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20the%20works

MLA

“in the works.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20the%20works. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “in the works,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20the%20works.

Source: in the works on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.