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

After getting customers hooked on two-day shipping and then next-day delivery, Amazon has been working to make same-day arrivals the new standard, and is further pressuring gig economy companies like Instacart, DoorDash and Uber Eats, which drop off orders within a few hours. —Annie Palmer, CNBC, 12 May 2026

How many nurses are participating in the gig economy isn’t clear, in part because some hold full-time roles and do gig work in their spare time, but a growing number of them risk being misclassified and missing out on benefits. —Tristan Bove, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026

That could include joining the gig economy, taking on part-time work, or selling unused items to bring in extra cash. —Tania Francois, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026

Advertisement What's also encouraging is the idea of setting pay standards more broadly, sector by sector, in nursing homes, hospitals, or the gig economy. —Arindrajit Dube, Time, 10 Apr. 2026

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