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

The company now plans to expand its Texas workforce across engineering, manufacturing, and operations as production moves toward full scale. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2026

Channel 4’s plans to cut over a quarter of its workforce are set to be scrutinized by a parliamentary committee. — K.j. Yossman, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026

The layoffs were part of a larger cost-cutting effort at Microsoft, which is laying off about 2% of its workforce in total. — Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026

In GreyOrange’s prior inventory report in July of last year, researchers found that 51 percent of retail store managers had reduced their workforce. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 9 Sep. 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