workshop

workshop — noun

1. a room, shed, or small building where people use tools and machines to make obje

1.nounA2
Definition

a room, shed, or small building where people use tools and machines to make objects, build things, or fix broken items

Example

Takeshi spent the afternoon in his woodworking workshop, sanding the surface of a small table.

collocation: woodworking workshop / repair workshop

The old workshop behind the garage was filled with tools, spare parts, and oil cans.

preposition: workshop behind [place] / in the workshop

Common collocations
  • repair workshop
  • woodworking workshop
  • car workshop
  • set up a workshop
  • workshop space
Synonyms
  • workroom

    usually a smaller space inside a building, less industrial than a workshop

  • studio

    used more for artistic work such as painting, photography, or pottery

  • shed

    a simple outdoor structure often used for storage or basic DIY work

2. a hands-on class, often lasting one to several days, in which participants gain

2.nounB1
Definition

a hands-on class, often lasting one to several days, in which participants gain knowledge and skills through practical tasks and group discussion rather than lectures alone

Example

Ziad attended a weekend workshop on creative writing at the local library.

preposition: workshop on [subject] / workshop at [venue]

The company organised a two-day workshop to help staff improve their communication skills.

Common collocations
  • attend a workshop
  • run a workshop
  • lead a workshop
  • workshop on [topic]
  • weekend workshop
  • writing workshop
  • photography workshop
Synonyms
  • seminar

    more discussion and presentation based; less hands-on than a workshop

  • masterclass

    led by an expert, typically for advanced participants in a creative field

  • training session

    a general term; more skill-focused and often shorter than a full workshop

Usage Note

Distinguish from seminar (more lecture-focused) and lecture (one-way presentation). A workshop emphasises active participation, hands-on tasks, and group discussion.

Common Mistakes

I went to a workshop on listening to a professor speak for two hours.
I went to a workshop where we practised writing poems in small groups.
A workshop involves doing, not just listening.

workshop — verb

Word family

  • workshopping
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

A workshop is a hands-on, participatory session where attendees learn by doing — for example, writing a poem in a creative writing workshop. A seminar, by contrast, is more discussion-driven and often involves presenting papers or debating ideas in a group. A course runs over multiple sessions or weeks and covers an entire subject systematically, whereas a workshop is typically shorter and focused on one skill or topic. A masterclass is led by an acknowledged expert and usually targets advanced participants in a creative field. Choosing the right word depends on how much active doing (workshop) versus listening or discussing (seminar) the session involves.

workshopseminarcoursemasterclass

Common collocations

Nouns

  • workshop leader
  • workshop participant
  • workshop space
  • workshop session

Phrases

  • hands-on workshop
  • intensive workshop
  • full-day workshop

Prepositions

  • in a workshop
  • at a workshop
  • workshop on [topic]
  • workshop for [people]

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Workshop combines Old English 'weorc' (work) and 'stōw' (place), originally meaning a place where work is done. The sense of an educational training session — a 'place' where intellectual work happens — emerged in the early 20th century, drawing on the idea of a craftsperson's workshop where learning by doing was the norm.