working-class

1 of 2

adjective

work·​ing-class ˈwər-kiŋ-ˈklas 

: of, relating to, deriving from, or suitable to the class of wage earners

working-class virtues

a working-class family

working class

2 of 2

noun

: the class of people who work for wages usually at manual labor

Examples of working-class in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Salted and preserved fish and meats, including bacon, sausage, liver pudding and offal, were staples of working-class people's diets, while the upper classes indulged in such luxuries as white flour and sugar. — Teresa Mull, FOXNews.com, 4 July 2026

Was came from a working-class industrial city, making music reflective of Detroit’s technological upheaval and economic neglect. — Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026

Noun

Outreach to the Latino working class should stress economic dignity, not socialist ideology. — León Krauze, Washington Post, 7 July 2026

Sade’s debut is a pristine work of professional studio craft just like all their subsequent releases, but Diamond Life was made by a working class band that had spent years gigging in the clubs of London. — Al Shipley, SPIN, 30 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1833, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1757, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for working-class

• fiberglass
• fibreglass
• hourglass
• isinglass
• lemongrass
• martinmas
• orchardgrass
• overpass
• plexiglas
• plexiglass
• sassafras
• superclass

Kids Definition

working class

noun

: the class of people who work for wages usually in manual labor

working-class adjective