Workforce Meaning
/ˈwɝk.foɹs/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounAll the workers employed by a specific organization or state, or on a specific project.
nounThe total population of a country or region that is employed or employable.
Sentence Examples
One finds a large proportion of immigrants among the workforce in these factories.
Tom organized a workforce to pick up garbage from the local streets.
The factory has a 1 000-strong workforce.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The company's ____, including all part-time staff, has grown significantly this year.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The company is planning to expand its ____ by hiring several many new employees in the marketing and sales departments today.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *werǵ- Proto-Indo-European *-om Proto-Indo-European *wérǵom Proto-Germanic *werką Proto-West Germanic *werk Old English weorc Middle English werk English work English force English workforce From work + force.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"The rail sector's ageing workforce (28% of workers are over 50 years old) means that about 15,000 people could retire from the industry by 2025."
— 2020 December 2, Stefanie Foster, “Network News: Success of major projects hinges on fixing skills crisis”, in Rail, page 8:
"But much of the federal workforce is located outside the nation’s capital, and Trump’s offer was met with confusion and skepticism in many of those offices."
— 2025 February 1, Tami Luhby, Eric Bradner and Rene Marsh, “Federal employees confused, angered by Trump’s offer to quit”, in CNN:
"“There is no question the US economy will get smaller as you deport a lot of the workforce,” Kent Smetters, professor of business economics and public policy at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, said in an interview."
— 2025 July 25, Matt Egan, “How Trump’s mass deportations could backfire on the American economy by shrinking paychecks”, in CNN Business:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The company's ____, including all part-time staff, has grown significantly this year.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The company is planning to expand its ____ by hiring several many new employees in the marketing and sales departments today.