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

For instance, say a cask of ginger rolls through a trapdoor and lands on a poor laborer below. — Amelia Soth, JSTOR Daily, 16 Sep. 2026

Eliminating the grace period would favor American laborers, the DHS argued. — Chad De Guzman, Time, 11 Sep. 2026

Mansur lives in poverty with his sister, mother, and aunt, Schaesta Ama, and works as a day laborer. — Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026

Unions representing laborers, electrical workers, pipe fitters and firefighters donated $1 million, according to the Times analysis. — Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 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