workforce

noun

work·​force ˈwərk-ˌfȯrs 

1

: the workers engaged in a specific activity or enterprise

the factory's workforce

2

: the number of workers potentially assignable for any purpose

the nation's workforce

Synonyms

• force
• help
• labor force
• manpower
• personnel
• pool
• staff

Examples of workforce in a Sentence

We have a workforce of 2,400 people.

the office's entire workforce is devoted to a single project right now

Recent Examples on the Web

The long-lasting crisis revealed numerous gaps in a workforce under immense strain. —Caitlin Rivers, WIRED, 27 Dec. 2024

Some of his companies, such as Tesla, rely on the program for their workforce: Tesla brought in 724 employees in 2023 on H-1B visas. —David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Dec. 2024

Cleo Krejci covers education and workforce development as a Report For America corps member based at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. —Cleo Krejci, Journal Sentinel, 27 Dec. 2024

China’s finance and property companies saw their workforces shrink in recent years years for the first time, reflecting the damage caused by a housing market collapse and regulatory probes. —Bloomberg, Fortune Asia, 26 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1931, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

workforce

noun

work·​force ˈwərk-ˌfō(ə)rs 

-ˌfȯ(ə)rs

: the workers of a specific activity or business

the factory's workforce