workforce

noun

work·​force ˈwərk-ˌfȯrs 

1

: the workers engaged in a specific activity or enterprise

the factory's workforce

2

: the number of workers potentially assignable for any purpose

the nation's workforce

Synonyms of workforce

• staff
• manpower
• personnel
• pool

Examples of workforce in a Sentence

We have a workforce of 2,400 people.

the office's entire workforce is devoted to a single project right now

Recent Examples on the Web

At one point over two thirds of Sloss's entry-level workforce was composed of Black labor, which was socially and hierarchically segregated and, up until 1928, often sourced from nearby prisons. — Leslie Pariseau, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Oct. 2026

Demand already exceeds the available clinical workforce, so time freed from documentation, scheduling, or intake doesn’t have to mean fewer people doing the same work. — Bill Miller, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026

In this view, students are being marinated in left-wing political views that are un-American and prepare them poorly for the workforce. — Peter Smagorinsky, AJC.com, 10 Oct. 2026

That means reassessing Lauder’s processes, workforce and asset allocations, and making the tough decisions about right-sizing its workforce. — Jenny B. Fine, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1866, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for workforce

• concourse
• divorce
• endorse
• enforce
• indorse
• midcourse
• outsource
• perforce
• racehorse
• remorse
• seahorse
• workhorse

Kids Definition

workforce

noun

work·​force ˈwərk-ˌfō(ə)rs 

-ˌfȯ(ə)rs

: the workers of a specific activity or business

the factory's workforce