Provided is a work machine that is equipped with a control unit that executes area limiting control with respect to a work device. The control unit includes: a position computing section that calculates the position, on an operation plane, of the forward end (first reference point) of a bucket and the rear end (second reference point) of the bucket; and a first distance computing section that calculates the distances in the operating plane from the first reference point and the second reference point to the target face A to be controlled. When the smaller one of the two distances is equal to or lower than a threshold during area limiting control, the control unit corrects an operation signal output from an operation lever device so as to reduce the operating speed of a hydraulic actuator that is a control target of the operation signal.