laborer

noun

la·​bor·​er ˈlā-bər-ər 

: one that labors

specifically : a person who does unskilled physical work for wages

Synonyms of laborer

• worker
• slave

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

And the web of contractors, local inspectors, developers, laborers, chipmakers and site managers adds cost, complexity, risk – and delays. — David Goldman, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026

Trump also got into trouble for hiring more than two hundred undocumented Polish laborers to handle the demolition. — Kai Bird, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026

Both are built by laborers, but opposing a pipeline amounts to stopping the creation of a few thousand jobs. — David Weigel, semafor.com, 31 July 2026

Church leaders were deeply troubled by a new, unrestrained form of capitalism that left laborers with few options other than working on mechanized assembly lines, under harsh terms set by corporate managers. — Walter Scheirer, The Conversation, 31 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing laborer

• day laborer

Kids Definition

laborer

noun

la·​bor·​er ˈlā-bər-ər 

: one that works

especially : a person who does unskilled physical work for wages