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

Many people in the Marketplace are early retirees, gig workers, freelance or contract employees, part-time employees or they work for a small business that cannot afford to provide insurance. — Nicole Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 5 Nov. 2026

He's also advocated for an overhaul of minimum wage laws, including eliminating the lower tipped minimum wage and adding protections for gig workers, such as rideshare and delivery drivers. — Joe Brandt, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026

California has long prided itself as a regulatory trailblazer, whether to preserve its coastline, reduce air pollution, protect gig workers, ensure data privacy or battle climate change. — Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026

The joint program plans to train 3,000 Grab gig workers across Thailand to tap into new sources of income through a series of practical AI workshops. — Kristie Lu Stout, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

2009, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for gig worker

• caseworker
• coworker
• farmworker
• woodworker