Meanings
working1
plural workings
- countableuncountableMethod of operation.
- countableuncountablearithmeticThe incidental or subsidiary calculations performed in solving an overall problem.
Be sure to check your working.
- countableuncountableFermentation.
- countableuncountableA place where work is carried on.
the abandoned mine workings
- countableA train movement.
From time to time the coaches of the Lötschberg Railway itself, which in comfort and décor can rank with the finest in Europe today, travel far from the frontiers of Switzerland on through workings such as these.
1960 December, Cecil J. Allen, “Operating a mountain main line: the Bern-Lötschberg-Simplon: Part One”, in Trains Illustrated, page 743
working2
- not comparableThat suffices but requires additional work; provisional.
a working title
1 more example
a working copy of the script
Synonyms: draft
- not comparableIn paid employment.
Working mothers have recently joined the factory's workforce.
Synonyms: employed
- not comparableUsed in real life; practical.
The working minimum focus distance is the distance from the closest focusable subject to the lens.
- not comparableobsoleteEfficacious.
You ſee my Lord, what woorking woordes hee hath. But when you ſee his actions ſtop ^([sic – meaning top]) his ſpeech, Your ſpeech will ſtay, or ſo extol his worth, As I ſhalbe commended and excuſde For turning my poore charge to his direction.
c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act II, scene iii
Working3
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveThat is or are functioning.
adjectiveThat suffices but requires additional work; provisional.
adjectiveIn paid employment.
adjectiveOf or relating to employment.
adjectiveEnough to allow one to use something.
antonym(s) of
More synonyms by meaning
adjectiveactively engaged in paid work
adjectiveadequate for practical use; especially sufficient in strength or numbers to accomplish something
adjectiveadopted as a temporary basis for further work
adjective(of e.g. a machine) performing or capable of performing
adjectiveserving to permit or facilitate further work or activity
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
working · noun
- Old Englishwyrċing“working”
- Middle Englishwerking
- Englishworking
From Middle English werking, werkynge, warkynge, worchinge, from Old English wyrċing (“working”), verbal noun of wyrċan (“to work”), equivalent to work + -ing. Cognate with Scots wirking, warking, Dutch werking, German Wirkung.
More words from Middle English, Old English
Full word history & related roots →working · verb, adjective
- Proto-Germanic*wurkijaną“to work”
- Proto-Germanic*wurkijandz
- Old Englishwyrċende
- Middle Englishworkyng
- Englishworking
From Middle English workyng, wirkynge, worchinge, werchinge, workinde, wirkand, worchende, wurchende, from Old English wyrċende, from Proto-Germanic *wurkijandz, present participle of Proto-Germanic *wurkijaną (“to work”), equivalent to work + -ing. Compare Scots wirkand, werkand, warkand (“working”), Dutch werkend (“working, acting”), German wirkend (“acting, working”).
More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-Germanic
Full word history & related roots →Working · proper noun
- GermanWerking
- EnglishWorking
Probably an Americanized form of German Werking.
More words from German
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian действие, функциониране
- действие (dejstvie)operation; action
- функциониране (funkcionirane)operation; action
- действие (dejstvie)method of operation
- опериране (operirane)method of operation
- обработка (obrabotka)method of operation
- ферментация (fermentacija)fermentation
- работещ (rabotešt)functioning
- работен (raboten)suffices but requires additional work
- работещ (rabotešt)in paid employment
- работнически (rabotničeski)of or relating to employment
Danish fungerende, erhvervsaktiv
- fungerendefunctioning
- erhvervsaktivin paid employment
Esperanto funkcianta
- funkciantafunctioning
Finnish työ, työskenteleminen
- työoperation; action
- työskenteleminenoperation; action
- työn tekeminenoperation; action
- toimiminenoperation; action
- toimintatapamethod of operation
- työskentelytapamethod of operation
- käyminenfermentation
- rehevöityminenbecoming full of a vegetable substance
- toimivafunctioning
- työ-suffices but requires additional work
- keskeneräinensuffices but requires additional work
- työssäkäyväin paid employment
- työtätekeväin paid employment
- työ-of or relating to employment
- riittäväenough to allow one to use something
French fonctionnement
- fonctionnementmethod of operation
German Ansatz
- Ansatzmethod of operation
Italian funzionante, lavorativo
- funzionantefunctioning
- lavorativoof or relating to employment
Norwegian Bokmål yrkesaktiv
- yrkesaktivin paid employment
Polish roboczy, roboczy
- roboczysuffices but requires additional work
- roboczyof or relating to employment
Portuguese serviço, funcionamento
- serviçooperation; action
- funcionamentomethod of operation
- funcionalfunctioning
Romanian funcțional
- funcționalfunctioning
Russian действие, функционирование
- действие (dejstvije)operation; action
- функционирование (funkcionirovanije)operation; action
- действие (dejstvije)method of operation
- оперирование (operirovanije)method of operation
- обработка (obrabotka)method of operation
- способ (sposob)method of operation
- ферментация (fermentacija)fermentation
- работоспособный (rabotosposobnyj)functioning
- рабо́чий (rabóčij)functioning
- рабочий (rabočij)suffices but requires additional work
- рабочая (rabočaja)suffices but requires additional work
- рабочее (rabočeje)suffices but requires additional work
- рабочие (rabočije)suffices but requires additional work
- работающий (rabotajuščij)in paid employment
- работающая (rabotajuščaja)in paid employment
- работающее (rabotajuščeje)in paid employment
- работающие (rabotajuščije)in paid employment
Spanish bosquejado, esbozado
- bosquejadosuffices but requires additional work
- esbozadosuffices but requires additional work
Swedish fungerande
- fungerandefunctioning
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with working
All rhymes →Cite this entry
working. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/working
“working.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/working. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “working,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/working.
Source: working on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.