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public works
plural noun
: works (such as schools, highways, docks) constructed for public use or enjoyment especially when financed and owned by the government
Examples of public works in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The reservoir had been choked with cyanobacteria, leading to public health advisories that warned people not to touch or swim in the water and putting financial stress on the local public works department.
—Diana Kruzman, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Jan. 2025
Catch up quick: Last fall, public works planners recommended making the square's current layout permanent, leaving space for a memorial to Floyd and adding gates to block the street for special events.
—Kyle Stokes, Axios, 23 Jan. 2025
Yet of all of Kraft’s public works in Kansas City, none was so iconic as the circus mosaic at the entrance to the downtown Main Library’s children’s department.
—Patrick Salland, Kansas City Star, 20 Jan. 2025
The Panama Canal, which Trump has repeatedly discussed taking back control of, was the most expensive public works project in U.S. history up until that time, with about $302 million spent on construction between 1903 and 1914, according to a 2006 Harvard Business School study.
—Chris Mueller, USA TODAY, 20 Jan. 2025
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Word History
First Known Use
1600, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near public works
Cite this Entry
“Public works.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/public%20works. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
Kids Definition
public works
plural noun
: works (as schools, highways, or docks) constructed with public funds for public use
More from Merriam-Webster on public works
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about public works
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