Phrase guide

piece of work

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A product or manufactured article, especially an item of art or craft.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • 1996, David Ansen "The Killer And The Nun (film review)," Newsweek, 8 Jan., “Dead Man Walking” is a powerful and intelligent piece of work.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A person who has a strong and unusual personality, especially one with seriously unpleasant character flaws.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: derogatory, idiomatic, often

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a product produced or accomplished through the effort or activity or agency of a person or thing

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • it is not regarded as one of his more memorable works
  • the symphony was hailed as an ingenious work
  • he was indebted to the pioneering work of John Dewey
  • the work of an active imagination
  • erosion is the work of wind or water over time

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: work

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: product, production

Narrower terms: follow-up, followup, handicraft, handcraft, handiwork, handwork, ironwork, lacework, lacquerware, leatherwork, masterpiece, chef-d'oeuvre, metalwork, openwork, polychrome, silverwork, wicker, wickerwork, caning, woodwork, work in progress, workpiece, publication

History

Etymology

First use appears c. 1473. The idiomatic second sense came about due to Hamlet’s monologue. See cite from sense 1 below.