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

Despite strong hiring, the unemployment rate remained steady at 4.3%, suggesting a larger supply of workers may be entering the labor market.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026

It is evidence that firms are successfully adding capacity and hiring into a labor market that is finally beginning to heal.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 6, 2026

And finally, they examine why Spain’s unemployment rate has dropped significantly and what that tells us about the relationship between immigration and the labor market.

From Slate • Jun. 6, 2026

The U.S. labor market added over 500,000 jobs between March and May, marking its best three-month stretch in over two years.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 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