working-class

1 of 2

adjective

work·​ing-class ˈwər-kiŋ-ˈklas How to pronounce working-class (audio)
: of, relating to, deriving from, or suitable to the class of wage earners
working-class virtues
a working-class family

working class

2 of 2

noun

: the class of people who work for wages usually at manual labor

Examples of working-class in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Although De Niro comes from a privileged bohemian background, his film roles personified working-class essence and vernacular. Armond White, National Review, 5 June 2024 The school, which sits in a working-class neighborhood filled with one-story homes, is among those that closed at the end of this school year. Riley Robinson, The Christian Science Monitor, 5 June 2024
Noun
Among the most reliant on the machines are ramen shops, which serve one of the Japanese working class’s favorite, most affordable meals. John Yoon, New York Times, 7 June 2024 De Niro faced pushback from New York’s non-leftist working class. Armond White, National Review, 5 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for working-class 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'working-class.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1833, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1757, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of working-class was in 1757

Dictionary Entries Near working-class

working circle

working-class

working class

Cite this Entry

“Working-class.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/working-class. Accessed 13 Jun. 2024.

Kids Definition

working class

noun
: the class of people who work for wages usually in manual labor
working-class adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on working-class

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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