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

• force
• help
• labor force
• manpower
• personnel
• pool
• staff

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

By the end of its staffing reduction, the IRS could lose 40 percent of its workforce, going from a staff size of around 100,000 employees down to 60,000, according to a report by the Federal News Network. —Tobias Burns, The Hill, 22 Apr. 2025

Under the Trump administration, the IRS is undergoing a cost-cutting overhaul, with plans to eliminate up to 40% of its roughly 100,000-person workforce after the end of tax filing season, according to an internal memo obtained by CBS News. —Alain Sherter, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2025

The administration says this approach is part of its ongoing effort to curb the size of the federal workforce and focus on private-sector job growth. —Oumou Fofana, Essence, 22 Apr. 2025

The state had 147,000 federal workers in January, less than 1% of the state’s workforce. —Kate Wolffe, Sacbee.com, 21 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1931, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for workforce

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

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