workforce
Americannoun
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the total number of workers in a specific undertaking.
a holiday for the company's workforce.
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the total number of people employed or employable.
a sharp increase in the nation's workforce.
noun
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the total number of workers employed by a company on a specific job, project, etc
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the total number of people who could be employed
the country's workforce is growing rapidly
Etymology
Origin of workforce
First recorded in 1940–45; work ( def. ) + force ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A Welsh Labour spokesperson said they were "committed to ensuring the NHS in Wales has the staff it needs now and in the future" through a long-term workforce plan.
From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026
She submitted her application in July, hoping to get started before demand overwhelmed the workforce, but didn’t get her building permit until January.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026
The investment aims to expand data-center footprint, upskill local talent, and accelerate AI adoption across Thailand’s workforce.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026
The company reportedly plans to cut up to 20% of its workforce, which Nowak estimated could save between $3 billion and $10 billion annually, and increase earnings per share by over $1 in 2027.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 30, 2026
She is in charge of a hundred kids and does not care if her workforce is increased by two more.
From "First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers" by Loung Ung
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
