workman
gb/wˈɚkmən/ us/wˈɚkmən/
B2
English
~ 7900
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
entity
1
male manual worker, especially in trades
A man who is paid to do physical work, especially building or repair work with his hands.
Usage pattern:
[a/the] workman [does/fixes/builds] [something]
Common mistake:
Learners often use "workman" when "worker" is more natural and gender-neutral. "Workman" usually suggests a male person doing physical or trade work and can sound old-fashioned or gendered in modern English. Use specific job titles ("electrician", "plumber") or "worker" when the gender is unknown or unimportant. Also, note the irregular plural: one workman, two workmen (not *workmans).
Synonyms
worker (More general and gender-neutral; can refer to any person who works, not only in manual jobs.)
|
laborer (Emphasizes unskilled or low-skilled physical work; slightly more formal and less focused on craft skill.)
Antonyms
employer (Refers to the person or company that hires workmen; opposite role in the work relationship.)
Collocations
skilled workman
|team of workmen
|hired workman
|building-site workman
|road workmen
Themes
jobs
|construction
|daily_life
|work
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- A workman came this morning to repair the leaking roof.
- Several workmen were laying new bricks along the front wall.
- The workman climbed the ladder carefully and started fixing the window frame.
- Residents complained about the noise from the workmen outside their apartments.
- The company hired extra workmen to finish the construction before winter.
Learner examples
- The workman is fixing our door.
- Two workmen are painting the house.
- We called a workman to look at the sink.
- The workman used a big tool to cut the wood.
- Five workmen worked on the road all day.
Noun
C1
entity
2
man judged by workmanship quality
A man who is talked about in terms of how well and how carefully he does practical work with his hands.
Usage pattern:
[a/an] [adjective] workman
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this use with a job title. Here, "workman" is often followed by an adjective like "good", "careful", or "skilled" and is used to talk about the quality of the person’s work, not just the type of job.
Synonyms
craftsman (Focuses strongly on artistic or highly skilled making of objects; can sound more positive and refined.)
|
artisan (Often used for traditional or high-quality handmade goods; slightly more formal and specialized.)
Antonyms
amateur (Suggests someone who is not a trained or paid professional and may lack skill compared with a good workman.)
Collocations
a good workman
|a careful workman
|a skilled workman
|a fine workman
|a poor workman
Themes
jobs
|skills
|work
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He is a careful workman and never rushes a job.
- Although he is not fast, he is a very good workman.
- The company values him as a reliable workman who takes pride in his craft.
- She praised the workman as a true professional who left everything clean and tidy.
- A bad workman will always leave small faults that show later.
Learner examples
- He is a very good workman.
- My father is a careful workman and checks his work twice.
- They want a skilled workman for this job.
- The boss thinks he is a poor workman.
- People know him as an honest workman.
Noun
technical
C2
entity
3
manual employee in legal definitions
In some legal systems, a worker who does mainly physical or factory-type work and is put in a special group with certain rights.
Usage pattern:
[a/the] workman under [the Act/law]
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize that this meaning is legal and technical and may think it is the same as the everyday word "worker". In legal texts, "workman" can include both men and women, even though the word looks male; the exact meaning depends on the law being discussed.
Synonyms
employee (More general; any person who works for an employer, not only those in manual or industrial jobs defined in law.)
Antonyms
employer (The person or organization that hires and pays the workman; the opposing legal party in many labor disputes.)
Collocations
industrial workman
|dismissed workman
|workman under the Act
|aggrieved workman
Themes
law
|employment
|work
Examples
- The court had to decide whether he qualified as a workman under the new labor act.
- As a workman, she was entitled to certain benefits after her dismissal.
- The union filed a case on behalf of the injured workman.
- The definition of a workman in the statute excludes those in managerial positions.
- Compensation was awarded to the workman for unfair termination.
Learner examples
- The judge said he was a workman under the law.
- The union helped the workman after he lost his job.
- The company must pay the workman money after the accident.
- Lawyers argued if she was a workman or a manager.
- New rules give the workman more rights.
Grammar
Dictionary form
workman
IPA
GB/wˈɚkmən/
US/wˈɚkmən/
Syllables & stress
work - man (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (work)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: workman
- Plural: workmen
Word family
Forms
workmen
noun
Negative and opposite forms
unworkable
adjective
Advanced or less common
Expressions
a good workman never blames his tools
1/ə ɡˈʊd wˈɚkmən nˈɛvɚ blˈeɪmz hˈɪz tˈulz/
idiom
skilled people don't blame tools
If your work is bad, you should not say it is because your tools or equipment are bad; you should accept that the problem is with how you worked.
Examples
- "Your camera is fine," she said. "Remember, a good workman never blames his tools."
- He laughed off his mistake, saying that a good workman never blames his tools and that he simply needed more practice.
- When the software crashed, he resisted blaming the computer, recalling the saying that a good workman never blames his tools.
workman's compensation
1/wˈɚkmənz kˌɑmpənsˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
technical
insurance for job-related injuries
Money or payments that a worker receives when they are hurt or become sick because of their job.
Examples
- After the accident at the factory, he filed a workman's compensation claim.
- Her medical bills were covered through workman's compensation.
- The lawyer specializes in workman's compensation cases for injured employees.