laborer

noun

la·​bor·​er ˈlā-bər-ər How to pronounce laborer (audio)
: one that labors
specifically : a person who does unskilled physical work for wages

Examples of laborer in a Sentence

He has been working as a laborer on a construction project. they could only find work as laborers unloading cargo ships
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Those who came to Ingersoll to establish a new life for themselves pursued jobs as laborers, barbers and waiters, among other professions. Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 21 Feb. 2025 New jobs for construction laborers--tasked with using, supplying or holding materials or tools and cleaning work areas and equipment on construction sites--are expected to increase by nearly 120,000 by 2033, with an annual growth rate of seven percent. Bryan Robinson, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025 The corporate laborers of the industrial age were drudges, and might have needed the scaffolding of managerial hierarchies to make widgets in bulk. Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2025 Instead, state investigators said Slayton used unlicensed laborers, improperly removed and dumped the cancer-causing insulator and failed to complete the project, leaving the property unsafe. Lauren Penington, The Denver Post, 18 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for laborer

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of laborer was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Laborer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/laborer. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

laborer

noun
la·​bor·​er ˈlā-bər-ər How to pronounce laborer (audio)
: one that works
especially : a person who does unskilled physical work for wages

More from Merriam-Webster on laborer

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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