# work

/ˈwɝk/ (US) · /wˈɜːk/ (UK) · CEFR A1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/work
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Definition

the job you do to earn money. It can also mean the tasks you need to do at your job or at home.

For teachers: Activity involving mental or physical effort to achieve a result, often for payment. The term can also refer to the tasks required for a job, a place of employment, or a specific creation.

## Examples

- I have a lot of work to do today.
- Her work involves managing projects and leading a team of five people.
- The artist's later works are characterized by a profound melancholy, reflecting a shift in his personal philosophy and a departure from his earlier style.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I have many works to do." but "I have a lot of work to do." — When referring to tasks or employment, 'work' is uncountable and cannot be pluralized. The plural 'works' refers to creations, like books or art.

## Usage notes

- The noun is typically uncountable when referring to employment or effort ('I have work to do'). It is countable when referring to a specific creation ('a work of art').

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.