WORKING CLASS Synonyms: 83 Similar and Opposite Words

working class 1 of 2

noun

Definition of working class

as in middle class

the class of people who earn money by doing usually physical work and who are not rich or powerful

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Dissimilar Words

working-class

2 of 2

adjective

as in middle-class

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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 working class

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

Adjective

Born in Dublin on April 21, 1970, Hansard was raised in a working-class household by an alcoholic father who frequently turned to domestic violence. — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 29 July 2026 Patterson’s Amendment 5 is controversial for working-class families. — Sophie Lindberg, Kansas City Star, 27 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for working class

Recent Examples of Synonyms for working class

Noun

The company sees India as a potential next frontier thanks to its population size, growing middle class and cultural admiration for celebrities, which plays right into Boxbollen’s marketing strategy.

— Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 30 July 2026
But for generations, especially for the middle class, housing wealth has been key in helping many do better than their parents.

— Jennifer Ludden, NPR, 30 July 2026

Definition of middle class

Adjective

California has the fifth-highest income threshold for middle-class households in the country, with a 2026 middle-class income range of $66,766 to $200,298.

— Ruyuan Li. Summary produced by AI assistance, Sacbee.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Although still budget-friendly, these properties, aimed at middle-class travelers, reflected an upgrade in accommodations and offerings from those of Club Med.

— Irene S. Levine, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026

Definition of middle-class

Noun

The traditional Marxist framework may explain why Flaubert, the conflicted son of a successful provincial surgeon, wrote naturalistic novels mocking the grandiose aspirations of the rural bourgeoisie, Sartre conceded.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 July 2026
For a long time, the lifestyles and foibles of the modest bourgeoisie were a mainstay of art-house cinema, with urbane, upscale audiences happy to turn out to see versions of their own lives depicted on the screen.

— Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2026

Definition of bourgeoisie

Adjective

In sharp contrast to the first-generation members of the Frankfurt School, Habermas came from a petit-bourgeois, culturally conservative Protestant milieu, his family name going back to sixteenth-century Thuringian cobblers.

— Alex Ross, New Yorker, 15 June 2026
Their attempts to destroy the bourgeois family were, like the efforts of Suzanna’s mother and grandmother, ambivalent and half-hearted.

— Julius Taranto, The Atlantic, 1 June 2026

Definition of bourgeois

Adjective

Covid-19 wasn’t immediately recognized as a disease with airborne transmission with the potential to spread beyond the 6-foot social distancing measure, especially in places with poor ventilation or around activities with heavy breathing.

— Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
Crepe myrtles may not bloom due to poor pruning, low light, watering issues, weak soil, or pests.

— Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of poor

Adjective

For instance, a plain English muffin typically contains about 120 to 150 calories, while a standard plain bagel often has 250 to 350 calories.

— Daryl Austin, USA Today, 4 Aug. 2026
The fiber slows digestion, which can blunt the blood sugar spike that plain lemonade would normally cause.

— Sarah Anzlovar, Verywell Health, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of plain

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working (at or on)

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Style

“Working class.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/working%20class. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of working class

noun

adjective

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