white-collar

[hwahyt-kol-er, wahyt-] / ˈʰwaɪtˈkɒl ər, ˈwaɪt- /

ADJECTIVE

non-manual

Synonyms

STRONGEST

clerical salaried

WEAK

executive office professional

NOUN

office worker

Synonyms

STRONG

administrator clerk employee executive jobholder manager supervisor worker

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 report laid out a doom-loop scenario of AI improvements wiping out white-collar employment and driving economic deterioration.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 17, 2026

A.I. use at work has nearly doubled in the past few years, especially in white-collar industries.

From Slate • Apr. 9, 2026

That means big changes in a labor market where retail and white-collar hiring have stalled.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 22, 2026

Van Geelen’s milestone to watch: white-collar employment — specifically information workers.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 19, 2026

It’s a weird mix, everything from white-collar criminals to guys picked up on traffic stops to real, hardcore criminals covered with prison tattoos.

From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah