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

Delivery services have dropped their base pay for drivers in recent years, Ryan Green, CEO of the gig worker analytics firm Gridwise, told NPR. —Lauren Chapman, Sacbee.com, 26 Mar. 2026

It’s been a strange launch for RentAHuman, the job platform built for AI agents to hire human gig workers to complete real-world tasks. —Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 25 Mar. 2026

Uber’s strategy reflects the high stakes for technology companies in California, where lawmakers have increasingly pursued regulations affecting gig workers, artificial intelligence, and data privacy. —Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 24 Mar. 2026

To be sure, gig workers’ low pay is a real problem. —Andrew Garin, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

2009, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for gig worker

• caseworker
• coworker
• farmworker
• woodworker