gig economy

noun

: economic activity that involves the use of temporary or freelance workers to perform jobs typically in the service sector

One reason the gig economy has taken off: People tend to change jobs more frequently and many enjoy the flexibility of choosing when and where they work.

—Marcia Pledger

While they are still able to work, boomers will be a big part of a subset of the sharing economy that is sometimes called the "gig economy." Gigs are what they sound like: assignments, contracts or part-time jobs.

—Linda Nazareth

Examples of gig economy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

And by the late-2000s, the gig economy was booming. —Katherine Fung, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025

But as of 2025, about 1 in 6 people under age 65 do not have access to this coverage, including many small-business owners and tradespeople, as well as part-time workers and those in the gig economy. —Christopher Robertson, The Conversation, 7 Oct. 2025

Though this marks a major win for many in California’s gig economy, not every participant will benefit. —Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 5 Oct. 2025

The gig economy, coined around 2009, has been advertised as flexible and independent work. —Manuel M. Grajeda Iii, Mercury News, 27 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

gig entry 1

First Known Use

2009, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for gig economy

• deuteronomy
• aeronomy
• agronomy
• astronomy
• autonomy
• gastronomy
• metonymy
• taxonomy