What does worked mean?
Worked is the past tense and past participle of work, a form whose meaning depends heavily on the verb or phrase in which it appears. At its most basic, it reports that someone performed a job, task, or effort: the volunteers worked throughout the afternoon. It can also mean that a machine, system, or method operated successfully, as in a statement that the new arrangement worked perfectly. In constructions such as "worked out" and "worked on," it indicates movement toward a satisfactory result or further development. Informal combinations broaden the word's range still further: "worked up" can mean emotionally stirred, while "worked to death" suggests exhausted or overwhelmed by exertion. As an adjective, worked is less common but useful in specialized contexts, particularly "worked example," where it describes a problem solution presented through fully developed steps. The form illustrates how English past participles can participate in multiple grammatical patterns rather than merely marking completed action.
Performed a job, task, or activity; operated or functioned; made an effort; or brought something to a satisfactory result.
"The two teams worked together until they found a practical answer."
Informal combinations such as "worked up," "worked over," and "worked around" have meanings beyond the ordinary past-tense use.
Having been subjected to use, handling, treatment, or alteration; in technical contexts, developed in detail to demonstrate a result.
"The textbook includes a fully worked example for each type of calculation."
This use is chiefly technical or descriptive and is much less common than the verb form.
Worked has a remarkably versatile life: it can mean someone did a task, that something functioned, that a plan succeeded, or that a person became emotionally riled up.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does worked come from?
Worked is the regular past-tense and past-participle form of work, whose Old English ancestor was weorc, a word for toil, occupation, or labor. The modern spelling developed through Middle English, while the familiar form worked follows the regular English pattern of adding -ed to the base verb. Work belongs to a Germanic word family that includes close cognates such as Dutch werk, German Werk, and Swedish verk. Its distant relationship with wrought reflects a shared Germanic ancestry, although wrought later acquired specialized and figurative meanings.
Related word forms
How worked is actually used
Worked is highly versatile and neutral in its basic sense of having performed a task. Familiar combinations such as "worked up" and "worked over" are more informal and may suggest agitation, exhaustion, or aggressive handling. In technical writing, "worked example" denotes an example whose steps have been developed in detail.