staff

noun

ˈstaf How to pronounce staff (audio)
Definition of staffnext
1
as in workforce
a body of persons at work or available for work we're working with a short staff at the office today

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in cane
a heavy rigid stick used as a weapon or for punishment carried a staff for self-defense when walking alone at night

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of staff In a neighboring schoolhouse, Ministry of Health staff offered all children the oral drug praziquantel, which can both prevent and treat the disease. — William McCarthy, NPR, 4 July 2026 Her behavior began to raise concerns among the ASLC's staff, who also noted signs of dehydration in the seal pup. — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 4 July 2026 Instead of adding a few robots to assist hotel staff, Pudu wants to create a connected robot service system that can handle the entire guest experience. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026 Though his offensive numbers have been modest, Maile's defensive reputation and familiarity with veteran pitching staffs have helped extend his major league career. — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for staff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for staff
  1. workforce
  2. cane
  3. manpower
  4. baton
  5. personnel
  6. pool
  7. crew
Noun
  • There are any number of leadership books purporting to direct would-be career professionals on how to manage, in so many different ways, including the leadership of a workforce, which is one of the stickier parts of being a leader, in general.
    — John Werner, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
  • The dramatic expansion of the city’s early childhood system will require a similarly rapid scaling of its workforce.
    — Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 4 July 2026
Definition of workforce
Noun
  • Aceh’s Sharia court ordered the two people to be whipped with a rattan cane 21 times each for kissing without being married.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 July 2026
  • Snappers, snakes, toy pistols with caps and toy canes with caps are the only fireworks allowed.
    — Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 30 June 2026
Definition of cane
Noun
  • The current model, which is linked to the manpower deployed, views AI as a threat.
    — Nimit Mehra, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • Closing the Manhattan Bridge, diverting traffic, and managing the safety of staging a zombie apocalypse downtown required the cooperation and manpower of multiple agencies with their own sets of pressing priorities and responsibilities.
    — Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 30 June 2026
Definition of manpower
Noun
  • The officers hit him with a baton and shocked him seven times.
    — Topher Sanders, ProPublica, 30 June 2026
  • Somebody had dropped the baton.
    — Christopher Hooks, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026
Definition of baton
Noun
  • More than 7,000 active-duty military personnel are based on Guam, which has a total population of more than 150,000 people.
    — Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • Starters were voted in by fans, while pitchers and reserve players were selected through a player ballot, a group of voters consisting of players, managers, coaches and league personnel.
    — Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 5 July 2026
Definition of personnel
Noun
  • In 1926, Brian's great-grandfather, Henry Knoebel, opened a pool that would mark the official start of the family’s park.
    — Eve Chen, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • Also, the pool area, now painted in a playful shade called Carrot Orange, has more seating and a photo booth nearby.
    — Kailyn Brown, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of pool
Noun
  • The twin quakes struck Venezuela on June 24 and by the evening of the next day, the Los Angeles County team of 73 crew members, six canine teams and 80,000 pounds of equipment were on their way to March Air Force Base in Riverside.
    — Seamus Bozeman Follow, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
  • The Service During my flight, which was approximately 50% full, the crew was thoughtful and attentive, even offering to rearrange seating and give additional space to a passenger with an anxious pet.
    — Annie Archer, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026
Definition of crew

Browse Nearby Words

stadiums
staff
staffer
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Cite this Entry

“Staff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/staff. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on staff

Nglish: Translation of staff for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about staff

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