Working means functioning properly or doing what it's supposed to do. When your computer is working, it turns on and runs programs without problems. When a flashlight stops working, its batteries might be dead or its bulb might be burned out. A teacher might ask if everyone's pencil sharpener is working before a big test.

The word also describes someone who has a job and earns money. A working parent goes to an office, store, or other workplace to do their job. During summer, you might see signs saying “Working Farm” at places where people still grow crops and raise animals for a living, not just for show.

When something requires effort or time to figure out, you might say you're working on it. You could be working on a difficult math problem, working on your soccer skills, or working on being more patient with your younger sibling. This meaning suggests active effort toward a goal.

A working theory or working plan is one you're using for now, even though you might change it later as you learn more. Scientists develop working theories that they test and refine. In this sense, working means “good enough to use while we figure out something better.”