blue-collar

American  

[bloo-kol-er] / ˈbluˈkɒl ər /

adjective

1. of or relating to wage-earning workers who wear work clothes or other specialized clothing on the job, as mechanics, longshoremen, and miners.

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noun

1. a blue-collar worker.

blue-collar British  

adjective

1. of, relating to, or designating manual industrial workers Compare white-collar pink-collar

   a blue-collar union

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blue-collar Cultural  

1. A descriptive term widely used for manual laborers, as opposed to white-collar for office workers.

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Discover More

The term is often associated with conservative values.

Etymology

Origin of blue-collar

First recorded in 1945–50

Compare meaning

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

• blue-collar vs. white-collar

Explanation

A blue-collar job involves doing physical labor, working with your hands and body to do paid work. Examples of blue-collar workers include mechanics, construction workers, and electricians. Blue-collar jobs involve manual labor and skilled trades. Factory workers, custodians, plumbers, and landscapers are considered blue-collar workers. Blue-collar jobs are often contrasted with white-collar jobs, which are typically done in offices, sitting at desks. The term blue-collar first appeared in the 1920s, referencing the durable, blue work-shirts and denims that many laborers traditionally wore. Blue-collar workers are essential to building and keeping infrastructure and industries running smoothly.

Example Sentences

Blue-collar jobs declined by more than 145,000 last year.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 4, 2026

Blue-collar workers, putting in long days at a factory, mine, or warehouse, benefit from mail ballots and early voting.

From Slate • Aug. 26, 2025

Blue-collar work could shift to a four-day schedule, but it would require different strategies than at white-collar firms, where recovering lost time can mean simply cutting meetings or changing communication policies.

From Seattle Times • May 23, 2023

Blue-collar workers led the protests, but white-collar professionals were also making demands in a country that stills bears the scars of previous recessions, and where the working day is traditionally long.

From Washington Times • May 1, 2023

Blue-collar migrant workers were also forced to leave cities and return home due to job losses.

From Reuters • Jul. 22, 2022

Related Words

• apprentice
• blue-collar worker