worker

noun

work·er ˈwər-kər

Synonyms of worker next

: one that works especially at manual or industrial labor or with a particular material

a factory worker

—often used in combination

: a member of the working class

: any of the sexually underdeveloped and usually sterile members of a colony of social ants, bees, wasps, or termites that perform most of the labor and protective duties of the colony

Examples of worker in a Sentence

The company is planning to hire 200 workers. The average worker earned $1,000 more this year. If management doesn't make the changes, the workers will go on strike. They are both hard workers.

Recent Examples on the Web Since the Hollywood strikes began back in May, Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw have donated a collective $1.5 million to writers, actors and other industry workers who have been negatively impacted by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. —

Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 11 Sep. 2023 Started in 2021, the project includes a 200-room luxury hotel, a 170,000-square-foot office building and 170 luxury residential units. PNC Bank signed a lease for nearly 15,000 square feet of office space in the development to house corporate, commercial and private bank workers. —

Steve Brown, Dallas News, 11 Sep. 2023 The union also wants more time off for workers, including a four-day workweek. —

Chris Isidore, CNN, 11 Sep. 2023 The Libyan Red Crescent said three of its workers had died while helping families in Derna. —

Samy Magdy, BostonGlobe.com, 11 Sep. 2023 Job hopping is a rite of passage for Gen z workers according to a recent report from workplace advice platform ResumeLab. —

Jasmine Browley, Essence, 11 Sep. 2023 Her mother’s parents came to the state during World War II as a boon of shipyard workers increased Portland’s Black population tenfold. —

oregonlive, 11 Sep. 2023 Beneath them, groups of rescue workers operating in teams of between six and 12 dig their way through the rubble. —

Stuart Ramsay, NBC News, 11 Sep. 2023 More:Teen charged in Colerain Township mail carrier robbery Any crime committed against a postal worker is a federal crime. —

Erin Couch, The Enquirer, 31 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'worker.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler

The first known use of worker was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Worker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/worker. Accessed 26 Sep. 2023.

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Kids Definition

worker

noun

work·er ˈwər-kər

: one that works

: a member of the working class

: one of the members of a colony of social ants, bees, wasps, or termites that are only partially developed sexually and that perform most of the labor and protective duties of the colony