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.
The Federal Reserve’s latest survey of businesses observed that while demand for workers has softened, “firms reported continued challenges finding skilled labor, particularly in engineering, health care, and other trades.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 8, 2026
At the same time, demand for skilled labor remains high.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 7, 2026
That’s as those companies face bottlenecks from lack of contractors, skilled labor, equipment and transmission to deliver power to compute, he said.
From MarketWatch • Dec. 29, 2025
In Lynn, Mass., shopkeepers consolidated skilled labor while distributing semiskilled work to households.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 30, 2025
This item covers certain forms of skilled labor; also transportation and clerical charges.
From Campward Ho! A Manual for Girl Scout Camps by Unknown
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.
