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

• 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

On the other hand, Democrats have worked to nationalize the race by tying Earle-Sears to Trump and his efforts to slash the federal workforce. —Rachel Schilke, The Washington Examiner, 7 Sep. 2025

But a key challenge for businesses is ensuring that the benefits of these tools are broadly shared across the workforce. —Trevor Laurence Jockims, CNBC, 7 Sep. 2025

Instead of viewing this as a lack of ambition, astute employers will recognize it as a wake-up call about what motivates the future workforce in a post-social contract age. —Cynthia Pong, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025

Successful workforce transitions require structured evaluation processes for each potential AI use case. —Jason Ma, Fortune, 7 Sep. 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