labor force
C1Formal, Technical
Definition
Meaning
The total number of people who are employed or who are actively looking for work in a country or area.
The collective body of workers available for employment; can also refer to the workforce of a specific company or industry.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
A collective singular noun referring to a group. Often treated as a measurable economic indicator.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Primarily a US spelling; UK standard spelling is 'labour force'. There is no difference in meaning or usage.
Connotations
Neutral economic/statistical term in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally common in formal and economic contexts in both varieties, though with respective spellings.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
the labor force of [country/company]a labor force of [number]join/enter the labor forcewithdraw from the labor forceVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No specific idioms. Considered a technical term.]”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in reports: 'We need to expand our skilled labor force to meet production targets.'
Academic
Used in economics/sociology: 'The study analyses female participation in the labor force from 1990 to 2020.'
Everyday
Rare in casual conversation. Might appear in news discussions: 'The pandemic caused many people to leave the labor force.'
Technical
A key term in statistics (e.g., Bureau of Labor Statistics), demographics, and economic planning.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- N/A - noun phrase
American English
- N/A - noun phrase
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A - noun phrase. Attributive use: 'labour force participation rate'.
American English
- N/A - noun phrase. Attributive use: 'labor force data'.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Many people are in the labor force.
- The city has a big labor force.
- The country's labor force is getting older.
- A good education helps you join the labor force.
- Government policies aim to increase the size of the skilled labor force.
- Technological change has transformed the composition of the modern labor force.
- Despite economic growth, a significant portion of the potential labor force remains marginally attached or discouraged.
- The study controlled for variables such as labor force experience and educational attainment.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a FORCE of people who LABOR (work).
Conceptual Metaphor
THE LABOR FORCE IS A RESOURCE/ASSET (to be managed, grown, or depleted).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate as 'рабочая сила' in all contexts, as this Russian phrase can refer to 'manpower' or 'labor power' in a more abstract Marxist sense. For the statistical/economic group of people, 'трудоспособное население' or 'рабочая сила' (in modern economic texts) is used.
- Avoid confusing with 'work collective' (трудовой коллектив).
Common Mistakes
- Using plural verb incorrectly (e.g., 'The labor force are growing' - should be 'The labor force is growing').
- Misspelling 'labor' as 'labour' in American English contexts and vice-versa.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the BEST definition of 'labor force'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The labor force is a subset of the working-age population, excluding those not seeking work (e.g., full-time students, retirees, homemakers).
Yes, the labor force includes all employed persons, whether they are employees, self-employed, or unpaid family workers, provided they are of working age and working or seeking work.
In modern usage, they are largely synonymous. However, 'workforce' can more easily refer to the workers of a specific company, while 'labor force' is often used for regional/national statistics.
It is the labor force (employed + unemployed) divided by the total civilian, non-institutionalized population of working age, expressed as a percentage.