Choosing a working synonym begins by asking whether you describe a machine, a person, a skill or a draft. A phone can be functioning, a parent can be employed, your Spanish can be practical and a title can be provisional, yet all four were working in the original sentence.
The word is also the present participle of the verb work, as in she is working late. That use gets its own short section below, along with words for working hard.
Swatch at a glance
Best swaps
functioning, operational, employed, provisionalPart of speech
Adjective; also a verb form of workMost formal
operational, operative, in employmentMost casual
up and running, grindingAntonyms
broken, unemployed, idle, finalWatch out
Functional can mean merely adequate. A functional kitchen is not a stylish one.Forms covered
working, works, worked
Pick the sense, then the word
| Original phrase | Sense | Swap |
|---|---|---|
| The elevator is working again | Not broken | functioning, running, back in service |
| Working parents need childcare | Has a job | employed parents |
| A working knowledge of French | Enough to use | a practical knowledge |
| The working title of the book | Not final | the provisional title |
| Working hours | Time on the job | business hours, office hours |
Notice that working hours and working day are fixed phrases. Business hours comes nearest, though it means when a shop is open, not when one person works.
From up and running to operational
With machines and systems, the chips go from chatty to official. Up and running is what you text a coworker. Running and functioning fit any email. Operational belongs in reports and notices, and operative is mostly legal: the operative clause.
Use live for websites and services that the public can now use. A server can be running without being live.
Working synonym ideas for a resume
Job seekers mostly meet this adjective as working knowledge or working closely with. Try these instead:
- Working knowledge of spreadsheets becomes practical skill in spreadsheets or proficient in spreadsheets, if you are strong.
- Working closely with designers becomes partnering with designers or collaborating with designers.
- Currently working at a bank becomes currently employed at a bank.
A job seeker writes: "Working knowledge of Python." A recruiter reads that as beginner. If you have built real tools, write "Built three internal tools in Python" and let the result speak.
Job hunters can find dozens of stronger verbs in resume and work words.
When it is a verb: working, worked, works
As a verb form, working has its own set. Laboring and toiling stress effort and sound literary. Busy with is neutral. Slaving away, grinding and plugging away are informal. For a plan that succeeds, swap it is working for it is paying off or it is succeeding.
- He has been working on the report all day becomes he has been busy with the report all day.
- The new schedule worked becomes the new schedule paid off.
See the base verb on the work synonyms page, and hard-working synonyms for diligent and industrious.
Tempting swaps that misfire
Effective means it gets results; a machine can be working but not effective. Active means currently in use, which a spare generator is not, though it works fine. Busy describes a person, never a device. Working class is a social group, and employed class would sound wrong.
Antonyms by sense
For machines: broken, out of order, faulty, down. For people: unemployed, out of work, between jobs (the kindest phrasing), retired. For drafts: final, finished, official. For effort: idle, resting, off duty.
Frequently asked questions
What is another word for working as in functioning?
Functioning and operational are the standard choices. Up and running is the casual version, good for quick updates.
Which formal term describes a person who has a job?
Employed is the formal and neutral option. In employment and wage-earning are used in official reports and statistics.
What does working knowledge mean?
You know enough to use something, though not as an expert. Practical knowledge or basic proficiency are fair swaps.
What is a synonym for working title?
Provisional title or tentative title. Both say the name may change before the project is finished.
What is the opposite of working?
For devices it is broken or out of order. For people it is unemployed or out of work. For a plan, failing is the opposite.
Can I replace working hard with one stronger phrase?
Toiling, laboring and putting in long hours all work. Recruiters prefer seeing the outcome over hearing about the effort.