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Synonyms

co-worker

British  

noun

  1. a fellow worker; associate

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Explanation

A co-worker is someone you work with. Your ice cream shop co-worker might scoop the ice cream while you're on milkshake duty. When you work with someone, that person is your co-worker. The word implies that you work side-by-side — you wouldn't usually refer to your boss as your co-worker. If you work in an office, your co-workers probably have cubicles and computers that are similar to yours, and if you work on a farm your co-workers are right there beside you weeding the beets or watering the tomatoes. The prefix co in co-worker means "together" or "mutually."

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Vocabulary lists containing co-worker

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

And if you were my friend, what I would say to you is this — are you truly infatuated with your co-worker, or do you just see them 40 hours a week?

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

Fox News host — and military veteran — Joey Jones addressed the president and his former co-worker Hegseth directly over the weekend.

From Salon • Apr. 1, 2026

“My co-writer Tara told her co-worker about the Oscar nomination, and his reaction was, ‘Wow, this will be in your obituary.’

From MarketWatch • Mar. 13, 2026

David Campbell told the court "he didn't like me and I didn't like him" when asked about his relationship with former Edradynate Estate co-worker Brian Low.

From BBC • Feb. 17, 2026

The spontaneous decision to argue with that same co-worker is made unconsciously—by a different part of the brain and motivated by a different part of your personality.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell