foot soldier

Definition of foot soldiernext
as in laborer
a person who does very hard or dull work he's been a foot soldier for several environmental organizations over the years

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 foot soldier His mind for military strategy and his quiet but intense drive propelled him – a son of working-class Moroccan Jewish immigrants who grew up in the most remote corner of Israel – from foot soldier to army chief of staff. — Dina Kraft, Christian Science Monitor, 24 June 2026 Among the Cambodians to exploit the instability was Toek Tik, a once-impoverished former Khmer Rouge foot soldier whose confessions helped investigators substantiate some of their claims against Latchford. — Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 17 June 2026 The result is child foot soldiers hired as hitmen, becoming both the perpetrators of crime and the victims of criminals. — ABC News, 12 June 2026 Traffickers recruit young people, including minors, to serve as foot soldiers in their bloody quest to control drug-trafficking routes across Mexico. — Steve Fisher, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for foot soldier
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foot soldier
Noun
  • Her philanthropic activities extended far beyond her own community to include Indigenous inmates, Chinese immigrants, and white laborers, along with countless other Angelenos.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026
  • In the previous decades, Japan had brought in many Korean, Chinese, and Taiwanese laborers, often under duress, to work in factories and mines, usually in atrocious conditions.
    — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The program could also be targeted rather than universal — triggered by sector-specific unemployment spikes, income level, or geography, so the money flows first to the workers AI disrupts most.
    — Sarah Cannon, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • At least six families said health workers visited only after a child had died from measles in their community.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Foot soldier.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foot%20soldier. Accessed 23 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster