blue-collar

adjective

blue-col·​lar ˈblü-ˈkä-lər 

1

: of, relating to, or constituting the class of wage earners whose duties call for the wearing of work clothes or protective clothing compare white-collar

2

: having characteristics associated with blue-collar workers: such as

a

: having, showing, or appealing to unpretentious or unsophisticated tastes

… a new blue-collar serial … woven around a minor-league baseball team …

—Steven Flax

b

: dependable and hard-working rather than showy or spectacular

a blue-collar athlete

Examples of blue-collar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In the course of the story, Bud faces a complex moral struggle between his blue-collar roots and the seductive, corrupt power of money. — Michael Douglas, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026

This will be an absolute jobs boom for middle America and for blue-collar America. — Ricky Sayer, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026

While James may be cutting a potential two-hour drive down to a 45-minute flight, the luxury commute isn’t resonating with blue-collar Philly fans. — Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 3 Oct. 2026

Earlier this week, Ed Brady, president and CEO of the Home Builders Institute (HBI), said younger people need to be more aware of the opportunities in the sector, saying skilled blue-collar roles with six-figure salaries attached were sitting empty. — Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1929, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for blue-collar

• footballer
• installer
• caller
• choler
• collar
• crawler
• dollar
• faller
• haller
• hauler
• holler
• scholar

Kids Definition

blue-collar

adjective

ˈblü-ˈkäl-ər

: of or relating to the class of workers whose duties require work clothes