labor market

American  

noun

1. the available supply of labor considered with reference to the demand for it.

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labor market Cultural  

1. An area of economic exchange in which workers seek jobs and employers seek workers. A “tight” labor market has more jobs than workers. In a “slack” labor market, the reverse is true.

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Etymology

Origin of labor market

First recorded in 1825–35

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

labor market

Underneath the surface of a labor market with strong numbers, people looking for jobs say it’s a grueling process.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026

Reforms to pensions and the labor market being pushed by Germany’s government are also having a positive effect on sentiment, ZEW President Achim Wambach said Tuesday.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026

That’s feeding a disconnect between what the labor market looks like on paper and how many Americans are feeling about their job prospects.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026

The pickup in the labor market hasn’t been strong enough, thus far, to lift more people out of this group, according to economists.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

A half an hour or so of Web research revealed an agreeably tight labor market, with entry-level jobs advertised at $8 an hour or more and studio apartments for $400 or less.

From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich