white-collar

American  

[hwahyt-kol-er, wahyt-] / ˈʰwaɪtˈkɒl ər, ˈwaɪt- /

adjective

1. belonging or pertaining to the ranks of office and professional workers whose jobs generally do not involve manual labor or the wearing of a uniform or work clothes.

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noun

1. a white-collar worker.

white-collar British  

adjective

1. of, relating to, or designating nonmanual and usually salaried workers employed in professional and clerical occupations Compare blue-collar pink-collar

   white-collar union

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white-collar Cultural  

1. A descriptive term for office workers, who use a minimum of physical exertion, as opposed to blue-collar laborers. Managerial, clerical, and sales jobs are common white-collar occupations.

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Etymology

Origin of white-collar

First recorded in 1920–25

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Compare meaning

How does white-collar compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• blue-collar vs. white-collar

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

white-collar

Levanon contends rapid advances in AI will stunt demand, perhaps permanently, for the sort of white-collar administrative work that used to be the first rung on the ladder for college graduates.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026

The company also announced another cost-savings program, including the layoff of 2,500 white-collar employees, aimed at reducing overhead costs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026

"More than a year in pre-trial detention for what would, at worst, amount to white-collar offences is unprecedented in Mauritius," he told AFP.

From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2026

As part of the antifraud push, the Justice Department created McDonald’s fraud division earlier this year, sparking infighting among the department lawyers tasked with handling white-collar crime.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026

They were mostly in for white-collar crimes, money schemes, fraud and racketeering.

From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah

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Related Words

• clerical
• salaried

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