Find Antonyms
working Antonyms
Opposite of working
Because the opposite of working shifts with each meaning, the 18 antonyms and opposite words below are separated across 3 exact definitions and ranked by contrast strength.
• adjective (Context 1)
Having paid employment or engaged in an occupation or profession.
Usage Example
"The community center offers affordable childcare for unemployed parents."
Strongest
unemployed
jobless
out of work
Strong
retired
idle
• adjective (Context 2)
Functioning properly or capable of being operated.
Usage Example
"After several hours of repairs, the old clock was finally in broken order."
Strongest
broken
inoperative
nonfunctional
out of order
defective
Strong
malfunctioning
dead
useless
• adjective (Context 3)
Adequate or provisional enough to serve as a practical basis for further work, discussion, or action.
Usage Example
"The scientists formulated a final hypothesis before beginning their laboratory experiments."
Strongest
final
definitive
Strong
permanent
conclusive
settled
Similar words to working
Words similar to working shift depending on context. Common synonyms include:
functioning
employed
functional
operational
provisional
operative
mechanisms
mine
• Nearby Words
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Antonyms for Working. In Wordmom Thesaurus. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/antonyms/working