skilled labor
Americannoun
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labor that requires special training for its satisfactory performance.
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the workers employed in such labor.
Etymology
Origin of skilled labor
First recorded in 1770–80
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.
Many of the price complaints in business surveys are classic supply constraints: tariffs; Persian Gulf energy volatility; construction materials; tight skilled labor and AI-driven bottlenecks.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 6, 2026
In terms of skilled labor, electricians have added more positions than average since 2021.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 23, 2026
But U.S. firms proved reluctant due to the company’s tarnished reputation, in addition to Congo’s poor infrastructure, limited skilled labor, resource nationalism and reputation for government corruption.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026
It’s harder to find skilled labor and there is now a lengthy wait list for equipment, said Deysel, a geophysicist and mining engineer who has previously worked at various mines across Africa.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 27, 2026
For its successful production the plant does not require skilled labor or intensive cultivation.
From The Planters of Colonial Virginia by Wertenbaker, Thomas Jefferson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
