gig worker

noun

plural gig workers
: a person who works temporary jobs typically in the service sector as an independent contractor or freelancer : a worker in the gig economy
Gig workers have freedoms that most full-timers only dream of: setting their own hours, working from home, being their own bosses. No wonder the gig economy comprised 16 percent of all workers by 2015, according to research by economists Lawrence Katz and Alan Krueger.Andy Sullivan
In addition to having more stable space, the affluent often have greater latitude to remain inside it. They can work on Zoom, shop on Amazon and have gig workers deliver meals.Jason DeParle

Examples of gig worker in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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That can provide flexibility for the fluctuations in income that freelancers, gig workers and artists often need to navigate, Haigh says. Talia Wexler, CNBC, 25 July 2025 Removing taxes on tips would provide considerable advantages to service industry workers like restaurant staff, delivery drivers, and gig workers, who depend heavily on gratuities for a large portion of their income. Joyce Orlando, Nashville Tennessean, 2 May 2025 Companies winning labor battle In California, the effort comes nearly five years after rideshare companies blocked an attempt to recognize gig workers as employees. Calmatters, Oc Register, 10 Apr. 2025 Urban populations, gig workers and visitors help drive consistent demand. Raheel Sheikh, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for gig worker

Word History

First Known Use

2009, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gig worker was in 2009

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Cite this Entry

“Gig worker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gig%20worker. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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