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

Work requirements would actually undermine economic growth by taking away access to care for those who need it most, including gig workers or those with minimum-wage jobs. —Toni Preckwinkle, Chicago Tribune, 21 May 2025

For gig workers — especially women — the solar tricycle offers a safe, clean and financially viable means of self-employment. —Ronik Sharma, Baltimore Sun, 8 May 2025

To stand out, gig workers must go beyond tasks—show initiative, adapt quickly and align with company values. —Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025

Virtually every facet of the awards show ecosystem rests on the labor and logistical efforts of millennial and Gen Z gig workers. —Nicole Fell, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

2009, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for gig worker

• caseworker
• coworker
• farmworker
• woodworker