labor force

[ ley-ber fawrs ]

noun

1. workforce.
2. (in the United States) the body of people who are at least 16 years old and are either employed or available for employment.

Word History and Origins

Origin of labor force¹

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

After accounting for people who have left the labor force since February 2020 and other factors, the unemployment rate is much higher than the official figure, he said.

From Washington Post

The railroad’s goal is to have all of its labor force vaccinated, the company said in a statement.

From Washington Post

Women have been disproportionately affected by the coronavirus pandemic, and the percentage of women participating in the labor force dipped below 55% in April 2020 for the first time in 34 years.

From Fortune

Jasmine Tucker, director of research for the National Women’s Law Center, spends part of her time crunching the nation’s labor force numbers.

From Fortune

The attempt to make everything work can fail, pushing them out of the labor force.

From Vox

Among the largest economies in the world, on average, almost half of women participate in the labor force.

From The Daily Beast

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 75 percent of college graduates are in the labor force.

From The Daily Beast

The fact that women now made up about half the office labor force probably played a role in this resistance.

From The Daily Beast

And, yes, Swedish women are more likely to be in the labor force than their American counterparts.

From The Daily Beast

It also forced existing Chinese Americans out of the labor force, and into self-employment.

From The Daily Beast

It would not be too much to say that from domestic industry we withdrew a total of ten million of our most capable labor force.

From Project Gutenberg

The reason why Pittsburgh has been unable to secure a stable labor force is doubtless realized by the local manufacturers.

From Project Gutenberg

A new labor force always brings ideas and ideals peculiar to itself.

From Project Gutenberg

Instead of a fixed labor force we now have to deal with a body relatively free to go and come.

From Project Gutenberg

Because of the lack of the labor force to develop the country planters have been led to offer higher wages, better houses, etc.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• labor pool
• personnel
• workforce