laborer

noun

la·​bor·​er ˈlā-bər-ər 

: one that labors

specifically : a person who does unskilled physical work for wages

Synonyms of laborer

• worker
• slave

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

Federal immigration agents have spent weeks scouring the Central Valley, immigrant rights organizers say, noting warrantless arrests and the targeting of farm laborers on their way to work. — Cindy Carcamo, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Nov. 2026

Though the inside is upscale, eclectic, cozy and polished, anyone is welcome in the space, from blue-collar laborers to lawyers, Blum said. — Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Kansas City Star, 30 Oct. 2026

Their laborers came cheap, often Native Americans dispossessed from their own rights. — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026

There is an empty lot on the other side of the street, full of cars and the occasional food truck to feed the thousands of laborers who are busy transforming this expanse of desert into an industrial park. — Gaby Del Valle, The Verge, 29 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing laborer

• day laborer

Kids Definition

laborer

noun

la·​bor·​er ˈlā-bər-ər 

: one that works

especially : a person who does unskilled physical work for wages