as in workers
a person who does very hard or dull work
they could only find work as laborers unloading cargo ships
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Recent Examples of laborers
He is accused of not checking work authorizations before hiring laborers, according to the Post.
—
Irene Wright, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
While the independent committee supporting Coyne is backed by Local 89, a laborers union, Crosby has been endorsed by the city’s largest labor union — the Municipal Employees Association — and the region’s largest labor organization, the San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026
Only a few years ago, Black farm workers in the Delta settled lawsuits over claims white laborers from South Africa were paid more for the same work.
—Drew Hawkins, NPR, 25 Apr. 2026
The laborers and manufacturers prepare to graft.
—Literary Hub, 23 Apr. 2026
The backstory Penang is a mosaic of ethnic influences—the result of waves of immigration that peaked in the 18th and 19th centuries, drawing merchants and laborers from various parts of the world.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Last January, a three-day raid in Kern County where undocumented laborers were arrested set off panic in the Central Valley and other farming regions with large immigrant workforces.
—Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
As the sweep unfolded, dozens of laborers moved methodically through the forest’s steep and muddy terrain.
—Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2026
By design, the responsibility to pay these workers shifted from the employers, who were reluctant to pay Black laborers in the first place, to the whims of the customers.
—Allyson Reedy, Denver Post, 15 Apr. 2026
Irene Wright, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
While the independent committee supporting Coyne is backed by Local 89, a laborers union, Crosby has been endorsed by the city’s largest labor union — the Municipal Employees Association — and the region’s largest labor organization, the San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026
Only a few years ago, Black farm workers in the Delta settled lawsuits over claims white laborers from South Africa were paid more for the same work.
—Drew Hawkins, NPR, 25 Apr. 2026
The laborers and manufacturers prepare to graft.
—Literary Hub, 23 Apr. 2026
The backstory Penang is a mosaic of ethnic influences—the result of waves of immigration that peaked in the 18th and 19th centuries, drawing merchants and laborers from various parts of the world.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Last January, a three-day raid in Kern County where undocumented laborers were arrested set off panic in the Central Valley and other farming regions with large immigrant workforces.
—Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
As the sweep unfolded, dozens of laborers moved methodically through the forest’s steep and muddy terrain.
—Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2026
By design, the responsibility to pay these workers shifted from the employers, who were reluctant to pay Black laborers in the first place, to the whims of the customers.
—Allyson Reedy, Denver Post, 15 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for laborers
Noun
-
Alarmed by growing difficulties for skyway-level residents, workers and shop owners, Kehmeier joined forces with fellow skyway denizens to launch Friends of the Skyway in January.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
10 May 2026
-
Lately, a solid consumer has left retailers confident enough to hire more workers to stock shelves or staff cash registers.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
10 May 2026
Noun
-
Debt culture is creating slaves of individuals, states, and nations.—
Linh Tat,
Oc Register,
4 May 2026
-
Rastus, Westinghouse’s Great Depression-era robot, was the most overtly racialized of these corporate robot slaves.—
Matthew Wills,
JSTOR Daily,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Laborers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laborers. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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