forced labor
noun
1
: very hard physical work that someone is forced to do
The prisoners endured years of forced labor.
2
: a group of people who are made to work very hard for no money
also
: a system that allows this
The railroad was built with/by forced labor.
Examples of forced labor in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
That came after activists from outside the prison system called for a non-violent prison work stoppage to protest inhumane conditions in the institutions and forced labor by inmates.
—
Matthew Carey, Deadline, 30 Jan. 2026
Trade and supply chain data shared with CNBC show that behind China's success in mitigating the impact of U.S. tariffs, two factors loom large: use of secondary manufacturing markets to finish products, particularly in Asia, and forced labor.
—Lori Ann Larocco, CNBC, 29 Jan. 2026
Church Pastor David Taylor, 53, is charged in federal court in Detroit with human trafficking conspiracy, forced labor and money laundering and is being held without bond, court records show.
—Paul Egan, USA Today, 1 Jan. 2026
Leman, who a government informant claimed might be spying for Greece, was assigned to forced labor while raising their son, Zafo – the author’s father – on her own.
—Barbara Spindel, Christian Science Monitor, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for forced labor
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Matthew Carey, Deadline, 30 Jan. 2026
Trade and supply chain data shared with CNBC show that behind China's success in mitigating the impact of U.S. tariffs, two factors loom large: use of secondary manufacturing markets to finish products, particularly in Asia, and forced labor.
—Lori Ann Larocco, CNBC, 29 Jan. 2026
Church Pastor David Taylor, 53, is charged in federal court in Detroit with human trafficking conspiracy, forced labor and money laundering and is being held without bond, court records show.
—Paul Egan, USA Today, 1 Jan. 2026
Leman, who a government informant claimed might be spying for Greece, was assigned to forced labor while raising their son, Zafo – the author’s father – on her own.
—Barbara Spindel, Christian Science Monitor, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for forced labor
Cite this Entry
“Forced labor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forced%20labor. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
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