fieldwork
noun
field·work
ˈfēld-ˌwərk 
1
: a temporary fortification thrown up by an army in the field
2
: work done in the field (as by students) to gain practical experience and knowledge through firsthand observation
3
: the gathering of anthropological or sociological data through the interviewing and observation of subjects in the field
Examples of fieldwork in a Sentence
an anthropologist who has done fieldwork in the South Pacific
Recent Examples on the Web
During the fieldwork, researchers found some pale yellow fish, the study said.
—
Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 17 Sep. 2025
The SeaDoc Society, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting marine life, shared footage of J36 swimming with her deceased calf, which the organization captured during fieldwork with the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and shared on Facebook.
—Michael Nied, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2025
In spots where these sediments are exposed, fieldwork is often challenging, dangerous and expensive.
—Kate Wong, Scientific American, 16 Sep. 2025
These complementary efforts of fieldwork geology and the more digital world of computer modeling, in which geochemical data, fossils and ancient tectonics are paired with Earth system models, have helped pull back the veil on our deep past.
—Peter Brannen, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fieldwork
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 17 Sep. 2025
The SeaDoc Society, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting marine life, shared footage of J36 swimming with her deceased calf, which the organization captured during fieldwork with the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and shared on Facebook.
—Michael Nied, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2025
In spots where these sediments are exposed, fieldwork is often challenging, dangerous and expensive.
—Kate Wong, Scientific American, 16 Sep. 2025
These complementary efforts of fieldwork geology and the more digital world of computer modeling, in which geochemical data, fossils and ancient tectonics are paired with Earth system models, have helped pull back the veil on our deep past.
—Peter Brannen, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fieldwork
Cite this Entry
“Fieldwork.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fieldwork. Accessed 19 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share