What does "jobber" mean?
One who works by the job (i.e. paid per individual piece of work) and/or recruits other people for such work.
Jobber
/ˈd͡ʒɒb.ə(ɹ)/ noun, slang
noun, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: One who works by the job (i.e. paid per individual piece of work) and/or recruits other people for such work.
- Grammar: jobber is listed as noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: wholesaler, agent, blue collar worker, blue-collar worker.
- Useful contrasts: expert, manufacturer, producer.
- Usage evidence: The deponent, in the course of negotiation for sundry jobs, expressed his curiosity repecting the Habits and Life of the Knights of the Thimble, when the jobber to the Nobility and Gentry kindly volunteered to accompny him on a round to some of the great shops of the west.
How to use "jobber"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "jobber" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "jobber" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "jobber" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "jobber" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "jobber" is acting as noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "wholesaler" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "jobber", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 One who works by the job (i.e. paid per individual piece of work) and/or recruits other people for such work. archaic
"The deponent, in the course of negotiation for sundry jobs, expressed his curiosity repecting the Habits and Life of the Knights of the Thimble, when the jobber to the Nobility and Gentry kindly volunteered to accompny him on a round to some of the great shops of the west."
- 2 someone who buys large quantities of goods and resells to merchants rather than to the ultimate customers wordnet
- 3 An actor temporarily employed for a specific role, often in a touring company.
"Most of the music circuses use jobbers in four to eight of the leading roles for each show. These jobbers are principal actors who are employed for one or two leading roles during the season. There is no difference between a star and a jobber, except that a jobber is not necessarily a "big-name" performer […]"
- 4 A promoter or broker of stocks for investment. UK, obsolete
"An act to restrain the number and ill practice of brokers and stock jobbers: 8 & 9 Wm. 3, ch. 32 (1697) [legislation of English parliament]"
- 5 An intermediary who buys and sells merchandise.
"We will say "I would rather be an expressman hauling tobacco, cigarettes, et cetera, than be a jobber of such commodities," especially in the city of Boston at the present writing."
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 An intermediary who buys and sells merchandise.; A type of intermediary in the apparel industry, as well as others, who buys excess merchandise from brand owners and manufacturers, and sells to retailers at prices that are 20-70% below wholesale. US
- 7 An intermediary who buys and sells merchandise.; A market maker on the stock exchange; a stockjobber. British
- 8 A performer whose primary role is to lose to established talent. slang
"My argument has ALWAYS been that 99.9% of all wrestlers are jobbers (and I'm 100% correct)."
- 9 A thing (often used in a vague way to refer to something the name of which one cannot recall). slang
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"The deponent, in the course of negotiation for sundry jobs, expressed his curiosity repecting the Habits and Life of the Knights of the Thimble, when the jobber to the Nobility and Gentry kindly volunteered to accompny him on a round to some of the great shops of the west."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "jobber"?
Common synonyms include: wholesaler, agent, blue collar worker, blue-collar worker, bond crowd, breadwinner.
How do you use "jobber" in a sentence?
The deponent, in the course of negotiation for sundry jobs, expressed his curiosity repecting the Habits and Life of the Knights of the Thimble, when the jobber to the Nobility and Gentry kindly volunteered to accompny him on a round to some of the great shops of the west.
How do you pronounce "jobber"?
Pronounced /ˈd͡ʒɒb.ə(ɹ)/.
Etymology
From job + -er.