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.
Some tech leaders attribute the drop in industry employment mostly to overhiring following the pandemic, when skilled labor was hard to obtain and retain.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 1, 2026
Today’s promising examples—semiconductors in Arizona, advanced textiles in Massachusetts, electric vehicles in Michigan—depend on innovation, skilled labor, low interest rates and complex global supply chains.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 6, 2025
And although skilled labor shortages persist in the U.S., pharmaceutical training demands are lower than those in high-tech sectors.
From Barron's • Oct. 8, 2025
If we reframe parenthood as a form of skilled labor instead of an innate instinct, we can find room for both men and women to excel as parents.
From Slate • Jun. 15, 2025
By using this method of finishing, we were able to eliminate the use of skilled labor, which showed a material saving in the finishing item, and at the same time secured a very satisfactory surface.
From Third Biennial Report of the Oregon State Highway Commission Covering the Period December 1st, 1916 to November 30th, 1918 by Benson, S.
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.
