sawyer

noun

saw·​yer ˈsȯ-yər How to pronounce sawyer (audio)
ˈsȯi-ər
Synonyms of sawyernext
1
: one that saws
2
or sawyer beetle : any of several large long-horned beetles whose larvae bore large holes in timber or dead wood especially of various conifers
3
: a tree fast in the bed of a stream with its branches projecting to the surface and bobbing up and down with the current

Examples of sawyer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The third-generation logger runs a crew of about 20 sawyers and loggers. — Patrik Jonsson, Christian Science Monitor, 17 Nov. 2025 John Cardinal, of Okemos, Michigan, also was in 1770s dress, working up a sweat as a sawyer. — Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 11 Aug. 2025 That seems a more viable premium buy-in point for the average amateur sawyer – still quite expensive, but not so drastically. — New Atlas, 24 May 2025 But since the Federal government began slashing jobs at the Forest Service, many people with the power to vet amateur sawyers have been let go or accepted buyouts. — Grayson Haver Currin, Outside Online, 12 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for sawyer

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sawyer was in the 13th century

Rhymes for sawyer

See All Rhymes for sawyer

Browse Nearby Words

sawwort
sawyer
sax
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sawyer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sawyer. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

sawyer

noun
saw·​yer ˈsȯ-yər How to pronounce sawyer (audio)
ˈsȯi-ər
: a person who saws timber

More from Merriam-Webster on sawyer

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for sawyer

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All