Definition of dogsbodynext
chiefly British
as in laborer
a person who does very hard or dull work I worked for several years as a gofer and general dogsbody for a London publishing house

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dogsbody From 1938 to 1940 Nick Clifford was on Mount Rushmore, first as dogsbody and wood-chopper, then as labourer and winchman. — The Economist, 1 Aug. 2019 Charley, who already has a casual job with Del (Steve Buscemi), a local horse trainer, now becomes his full-time dogsbody, or nagsbody—cleaning the stables, driving the truck, or walking Lean on Pete. — Rachel Aviv, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dogsbody
Noun
  • Meanwhile, $12 million will go to a fund supporting out-of-work entertainment industry laborers.
    — Daysia Tolentino, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Without fiefdoms structuring the distribution of land, the division of labor, and the provision of military protection, agents of state coercion were needed to ensure that former serfs would serve as wage laborers.
    — Sophie Landres, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Prescription drugs filled at a pharmacy represented 18% of a worker’s health care premium in 2021, after factoring in any rebates paid out by manufacturers, according to the consulting and actuarial firm Milliman.
    — Bob Herman, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Face masks were distributed to local kindergartens, and mandatory mask mandates were slapped on workers at the nearby Irkutsk Aluminum Plant.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Dogsbody.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dogsbody. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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