worker
High (A2)Neutral
Definition
Meaning
A person who does physical or mental work as part of their job, typically as an employee.
A person engaged in a specified activity, profession, or task; also, a member of the working class or a dedicated participant in a cause or organisation (e.g., a social worker, a charity worker). It can also refer to a neuter bee or ant that performs the basic labour of a colony.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
A broad, countable noun primarily denoting occupation or function. Often implies effort, regularity, and subordination (to an employer, organisation, or collective goal). Can be part of compound nouns specifying type (factory worker, care worker).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal semantic difference. 'Worker' is standard in both. In industrial/labour union contexts, BrE might historically favour 'workman', but 'worker' is now predominant. 'Employee' is a more formal alternative in both.
Connotations
Neutral in both varieties. In political contexts, may carry stronger socialist/class connotations in BrE (e.g., 'the workers'). In AmE, often used in 'blue-collar' vs. 'white-collar' distinctions.
Frequency
Very high frequency in both, with no significant divergence.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[adjective] + worker[type] + workerworker + in/of + [field]worker + for + [organisation]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “a worker bee”
- “a real worker”
- “a fast worker (colloquial, often romantic context)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to human resources, productivity, and workforce planning (e.g., 'We need to hire more seasonal workers').
Academic
Used in sociology, economics, and labour studies to discuss class, employment, and industrial relations.
Everyday
Commonly used to describe one's job (e.g., 'She's a care worker') or work ethic (e.g., 'He's a hard worker').
Technical
In computing, can refer to a 'background worker' process; in entomology, a sterile female bee or ant.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- She is a hospital worker.
- My father is a factory worker.
- They are good workers.
- The company employs over two hundred workers.
- A social worker visited the family.
- He's known as a very reliable worker.
- The new legislation aims to protect migrant workers' rights.
- Despite being new, she proved herself a quick and efficient worker.
- Automation has displaced many manual workers in the industry.
- The union negotiated a pay rise for all essential workers.
- She has dedicated her career to being an advocate for informal sector workers.
- The study examined the psychological resilience of frontline healthcare workers.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: A worker WORKS. The suffix '-er' means 'a person who does' (like teach-er, sing-er). So, a work-er is a person who works.
Conceptual Metaphor
HUMAN AS MACHINE / RESOURCE (e.g., 'He's a tireless worker'; 'to maximise worker output'). SOCIETY AS BODY (e.g., 'the workers are the backbone of the economy').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'работник' only; 'worker' is broader and includes many 'специалисты' and 'сотрудники'.
- Avoid direct calque 'трудящийся' which is politically charged in Russian but not in neutral English 'worker'.
- 'Рабочий' is closer to 'manual/blue-collar worker', a subset of the English 'worker'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'worker' as an uncountable noun (*'much worker' instead of 'many workers').
- Incorrect plural: *'worker' -> 'workers'.
- Confusing 'worker' with 'working' as a noun (*'He is a hard working').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'worker' LEAST likely to be used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is neutral; suitable for both formal and informal contexts. More formal alternatives include 'employee', 'personnel', or 'staff member'.
Yes, specifically in entomology for bees, ants, termites, etc., where it refers to sterile females that perform colony labour.
'Labourer' typically implies manual, often unskilled, physical work. 'Worker' is a much broader term encompassing all types of work, including skilled, professional, and mental labour.
Not always. It can refer to self-employed individuals, volunteers, or members of a cooperative. The core idea is engagement in work, not necessarily an employment contract.