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laborer
noun
la·bor·er
ˈlā-bər-ər
: one that labors
specifically
: a person who does unskilled physical work for wages
Synonyms
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
The main claim here is that an influx in cheaper low-skilled laborers not only pushes down the cost of goods but negatively impacts preexisting American workers by lowering their wages as well.
—
Christian Paz, Vox, 4 Feb. 2025
These workers, which do not include undocumented workers or H-2A laborers, are believed to represent 44% of all agricultural workers in Colorado.
—
Sam Tabachnik, The Denver Post, 31 Jan. 2025
And with domestic laborers currently not covered under Cal-OSHA protections, Poo and Ortiz see their work of educating and advocating for household workers as more important than ever.
—
Simmone Shah, TIME, 26 Jan. 2025
The inspiration hails from a slender, evocative novella by Denis Johnson that honors the manual laborers who built this country, focusing on one in particular, Robert Grainier, who carved out a window of happiness for a time.
—
Peter Debruge, Variety, 26 Jan. 2025
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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
Phrases Containing laborer
Dictionary Entries Near laborer
Cite this Entry
“Laborer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/laborer. Accessed 19 Feb. 2025.
Kids Definition
laborer
noun
la·bor·er
ˈlā-bər-ər
: one that works
especially
: a person who does unskilled physical work for wages
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