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
Mayor Bass also secured 17 positions for supply and maintenance staffing, including heavy-duty mechanics, mechanic helpers, tire repairers, maintenance laborers, toolroom workers, truck operators and more.
—
Jeff Nguyen, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
Another report from the Bay Area Council Economic Institute estimated that 14% of California’s overall construction workforce is undocumented, including more than one in every four construction laborers.
—Kyung Lah, CNN Money, 8 Jan. 2026
And many of those apprentices — in skilled trades, electricians, laborers, carpenters — are already at work strengthening and building the physical foundations of our state.
—Sacramento Bee Staff, Sacbee.com, 8 Jan. 2026
The 2025-26 cycle, in its early stages, has also mobilized students, laborers, women, and ethnic minorities, suggesting the potential for broader mobilization amid unbearable economic conditions.
—Washington Post, 5 Jan. 2026
The laborers union has spent heavily on local politics in recent years.
—Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Dec. 2025
In Muslim villages, Sacco’s interviewees tell him that only women and children threw stones; among the Jats, the party line is that no Muslim laborers were killed, and everyone left peacefully on their own.
—Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2025
Some Republicans have also pushed back against changes to visa programs for migrant laborers and in favor of more permanent status for recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
—Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 16 Dec. 2025
The number of Japanese immigrants increased at the beginning of the 20th century and thousands found work as migrant laborers for white farmers.
—Equal Justice Initiative, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Jeff Nguyen, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
Another report from the Bay Area Council Economic Institute estimated that 14% of California’s overall construction workforce is undocumented, including more than one in every four construction laborers.
—Kyung Lah, CNN Money, 8 Jan. 2026
And many of those apprentices — in skilled trades, electricians, laborers, carpenters — are already at work strengthening and building the physical foundations of our state.
—Sacramento Bee Staff, Sacbee.com, 8 Jan. 2026
The 2025-26 cycle, in its early stages, has also mobilized students, laborers, women, and ethnic minorities, suggesting the potential for broader mobilization amid unbearable economic conditions.
—Washington Post, 5 Jan. 2026
The laborers union has spent heavily on local politics in recent years.
—Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Dec. 2025
In Muslim villages, Sacco’s interviewees tell him that only women and children threw stones; among the Jats, the party line is that no Muslim laborers were killed, and everyone left peacefully on their own.
—Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2025
Some Republicans have also pushed back against changes to visa programs for migrant laborers and in favor of more permanent status for recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
—Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 16 Dec. 2025
The number of Japanese immigrants increased at the beginning of the 20th century and thousands found work as migrant laborers for white farmers.
—Equal Justice Initiative, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for laborers
Noun
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That measure, pushed by SEIU-UHW, a labor union representing many of the state’s health care workers, would impose a 5% tax on people with $1 billion or more in assets.—
Nicole Nixon,
Sacbee.com,
8 Jan. 2026
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An analysis by the National Association of Home Builders estimates tens of thousands of homes aren't being completed because there aren't enough workers.—
Kenny Choi,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Originally a Dutch vessel, the Zorg had been captured by a British captain and heavily overloaded with slaves.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
8 Jan. 2026
-
In the subsequent testimony, Médor claimed that the only way to stop these poisonings was for enslavers to stop promising slaves their estate would free them after their death.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Laborers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laborers. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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