white-collar

adjective

white-col·​lar ˈ(h)wīt-ˈkä-lər How to pronounce white-collar (audio)
: of, relating to, or constituting the class of salaried employees whose duties do not call for the wearing of work clothes or protective clothing compare blue-collar

Examples of white-collar 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.
After capturing the mass market, short dramas spread to China’s biggest cities and its white-collar workers. — Lavender Au, The Dial, 30 June 2026 Before imposing the sentence, Rakoff reflected on the effectiveness of a prison sentence in white-collar cases. — Antonio Ferme, Variety, 29 June 2026 Ironically, the loss of many white-collar jobs will raise the importance and prestige of artisans and craftsmen—the skilled people who can actually make things—and farmers who grow food. — Simon Sebag Montefiore, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026 And growing fears over diminishing job security in white-collar fields once thought of as safe are a key driver behind Americans’ growing pessimism about the economy. — D. Brian Blank, The Conversation, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for white-collar

Word History

First Known Use

1911, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of white-collar was in 1911

Rhymes for white-collar

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Browse Nearby Words

white cohosh
white-collar
white-collar crime
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Cite this Entry

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

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Kids Definition

white-collar

adjective
ˈhwīt-ˈkäl-ər, 
ˈwīt-
: of, relating to, or being a member of the class of workers (as clerks and salespersons) whose duties do not require the wearing of work clothes

More from Merriam-Webster on white-collar

Nglish: Translation of white-collar for Spanish Speakers

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