white-collar

adjective

white-col·​lar ˈ(h)wīt-ˈkä-lər 

: of, relating to, or constituting the class of salaried employees whose duties do not call for the wearing of work clothes or protective clothing compare blue-collar

Examples of white-collar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The agency has traditionally had a broad remit, including violent and organized crime as well as national security and white-collar investigations. — Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 15 Sep. 2026

That may sound counterintuitive amid warnings that AI is wiping out entry-level jobs and disrupting white-collar work. — Kristin Stoller, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2026

On the busy thoroughfare of Rosecrans Avenue, offices are seeing an influx of white-collar service firms full of lawyers, accountants and bankers. — Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026

For two years, some of the loudest voices on AI have spoken on white-collar layoffs, vanishing entry-level jobs, and a generation of graduates shut out. — Washington Post, 9 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1911, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for white-collar

• eurodollar
• caller
• choler
• collar
• crawler
• dollar
• faller
• haller
• hauler
• holler
• scholar
• smaller

Kids Definition

white-collar

adjective

ˈhwīt-ˈkäl-ər, 

ˈwīt-

: of, relating to, or being a member of the class of workers (as clerks and salespersons) whose duties do not require the wearing of work clothes