employer

noun

em·​ploy·​er im-ˈplȯi-ər How to pronounce employer (audio)
em-
plural employers
: one that employs or makes use of something or somebody
… it is one of the most aggressive employers of the dreaded pop-up ads that effloresce across one's video screen like a sudden and unpleasant rash …Christopher Orr
especially : a person or company that provides a job paying wages or a salary to one or more people
Private household workers usually work in pleasant and comfortable homes or apartments. Most are dayworkers who live in their own homes and travel to work. Some live in the home of their employer, generally with their own room and bath. Occupational Outlook Handbook
One of Hiroshima's main contributions to the post-war economic miracle of Japan is the Mazda car plant, the single largest employer in Hiroshima. Michael Dillon
… choose a classic health-insurance plan—if your employer still makes one available. Laura Johannes

Examples of employer in a Sentence

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.
Fewer employers offer health insurance to workers who retire before 65, the year Medicare benefits begin. Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 23 May 2025 While the states Wage and Hour Act appears to prevent cities from enacting ordinances that dictate wage levels or working hours for employers, Fisher and Wilson said this section of the law has yet to be interpreted by the courts, leaving the legal landscape uncertain. Chase Jordan, Charlotte Observer, 22 May 2025 The court ruled that contracts had been breached, and the agents’ new employer — WME Sports, a division of Endeavor — owed Excel a lot of money. Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 22 May 2025 Making this provision permanent provides the predictability employers need to build robust, long-term education benefits, and gives employees a meaningful path toward financial stability. Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for employer

Word History

First Known Use

1595, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of employer was in 1595

Cite this Entry

“Employer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/employer. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

employer

noun
em·​ploy·​er
im-ˈplȯi(-ə)r
: one that employs others

Legal Definition

employer

noun
em·​ploy·​er
: one that hires others to perform a service or engage in an activity in exchange for compensation see also respondeat superior

More from Merriam-Webster on employer

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