laborer

noun

la·​bor·​er ˈlā-bər-ər How to pronounce laborer (audio)
: one that labors
specifically : a person who does unskilled physical work for wages

Examples of laborer in a Sentence

He has been working as a laborer on a construction project. they could only find work as laborers unloading cargo ships
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
One was a White farmer, while the others were Black laborers or security workers, police said. / Cbs News, CBS News, 23 May 2025 Consider android laborers harvesting crops at night while humans engage in creative endeavors by day. Amir Husain, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025 In 1882, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act, banning Chinese laborers from immigrating to the U.S. Time, 19 May 2025 From the Chinese laborers who built the railroads, to the Cuban refugees who revitalized Miami, to the undocumented parents who clean our hospitals and grow our food, immigrants and their children are not outsiders to the American story. Vilerka Bilbao, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for laborer

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of laborer was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Laborer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/laborer. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

laborer

noun
la·​bor·​er ˈlā-bər-ər How to pronounce laborer (audio)
: one that works
especially : a person who does unskilled physical work for wages

More from Merriam-Webster on laborer

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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