laborer

noun

la·​bor·​er ˈlā-bər-ər How to pronounce laborer (audio)
: one that labors
specifically : a person who does unskilled physical work for wages

Examples of laborer in a Sentence

He has been working as a laborer on a construction project. they could only find work as laborers unloading cargo ships
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Consequently, June doesn’t feel too bad about stealing the only copy of Athena’s last manuscript, a work of historical fiction involving Chinese laborers during the First World War, and passing it off as her own. Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2025 Meanwhile, industrialists of all kinds were more than happy to pit Black Americans and job-stealing, non-protestant, unionizing commie immigrants against true American skilled laborers. Jody Mamone, Hartford Courant, 15 Aug. 2025 The county is home to a large Mayan community, many of whom came to the country as laborers seeking work, or as refugees fleeing a genocide targeting the Mayan people in Guatemala in the 1980s. Syra Ortiz-Blanes, Miami Herald, 9 Aug. 2025 In fact, a Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas study in July 2024 found that in the aftermath of the pandemic, immigrant laborers helped boost job growth while keeping inflation down. Rebecca Schneid, Time, 4 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for laborer

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of laborer was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Laborer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/laborer. Accessed 28 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

laborer

noun
la·​bor·​er ˈlā-bər-ər How to pronounce laborer (audio)
: one that works
especially : a person who does unskilled physical work for wages

More from Merriam-Webster on laborer

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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