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

"They look like a couple of club fighters from a white-collar match in a local leisure centre. It was sad for me to watch."

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

Human-resources executives say they are aware of the concerns of the white-collar workforce.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

It might seem ludicrous to address as large and intractable a problem as white-collar crime through the life of a bagel man.

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt