# working

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈwɜːkɪŋ/ · frequency rank #342

## Definitions
1. Operation; action.
2. Method of operation.
3. The incidental or subsidiary calculations performed in solving an overall problem.
4. Fermentation.
5. Becoming full of a vegetable substance.
6. A place where work is carried on.
7. A train movement.

## Etymology
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.

## Easily confused with
- **wring** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/working-vs-wring)
- **worrying** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/working-vs-worrying)
- **workings** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/working-vs-workings)
- **Worthing** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/working-vs-worthing)
- **waking** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/waking-vs-working)
- **wiring** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wiring-vs-working)
- **wooing** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wooing-vs-working)
- **waring** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/waring-vs-working)
- **Woking** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/woking-vs-working)
- **walking** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/walking-vs-working)
- **warning** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/warning-vs-working)
- **warming** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/warming-vs-working)
- **wording** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wording-vs-working)
- **warring** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/warring-vs-working)
- **winking** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/winking-vs-working)
- **warping** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/warping-vs-working)
- **whoring** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/whoring-vs-working)

## Common misspellings (11)
`owrking`, `wokring`, `worikng`, `workign`, `workingg`, `workinng`, `workking`, `worknig`, `worrking`, `wroking`, `wworking`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/working