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 As Mexican laborers made their way into American lands through the Bracero program, an agreement between the U.S. and Mexico that allowed Mexican citizens to temporarily work in America to help with the crops due to an enormous manpower shortage in the U.S due to World War II. Caterina Barbera Kipreos, ABC News, 16 Oct. 2024 Undocumented laborers make up a significant portion of the construction workforce. Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 14 Oct. 2024 Naqvi said those who killed the laborers would not be able to escape from the grip of the law. Abdul Sattar, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2024 On that day in 1868, Cuban revolutionary Carlos Manuel de Céspedes freed his family’s enslaved laborers and announced the beginning of an uprising against Spanish rule. Tracy Scott Forson, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for laborer 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'laborer.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near laborer

Cite this Entry

“Laborer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/laborer. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!