gig worker

noun

plural gig workers

: a person who works temporary jobs typically in the service sector as an independent contractor or freelancer : a worker in the gig economy

Gig workers have freedoms that most full-timers only dream of: setting their own hours, working from home, being their own bosses. No wonder the gig economy comprised 16 percent of all workers by 2015, according to research by economists Lawrence Katz and Alan Krueger.

—Andy Sullivan

In addition to having more stable space, the affluent often have greater latitude to remain inside it. They can work on Zoom, shop on Amazon and have gig workers deliver meals.

—Jason DeParle

Examples of gig worker in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

At least 27% of Gen Z workers currently supplement their primary income with part-time or gig work, the study states – and by 2027, up to half the workforce in the developed world may be gig workers. —Joe McKendrick, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026

Up until this year, President Obama’s landmark health insurance program had been an increasingly popular option for Americans who don’t get health coverage through their jobs, including small business owners, gig workers, farmers, ranchers and others. —Ali Swenson, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2026

Some 200,000 gig workers recently protested across the country to call for better wages and conditions. —Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 13 Jan. 2026

Through simple voluntary association, small businesses, gig workers, and sole proprietors gained negotiating power comparable to large firms. —Justin Leventhal, Boston Herald, 11 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

2009, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for gig worker

• caseworker
• coworker
• farmworker
• woodworker