Hireling

/ˈhaɪɹˌlɪŋ/

Synonyms for "hireling" (51 found)

Ranked by relevance and common usage.

Closest matches (11)

Strong matches (15)

Noun(2 words)
flunkyhired gun
free lancegirl fridaygrubgrubbergungunmanhackhiredhired gunhired handhired killerhired maninferior

Related words (25)

letman fridaymercenarymyrmidonpensionerprofessional killerpuppetpurchasableright hand manright-hand manslaveysoldier of fortunesubletsubordinatetoolvenalworker

Choosing the right synonym

  • Closest matches in this entry: lackey, mercenary, adventurer, assistant, condottiere.
  • Sentence evidence is available for hireling, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
  • Ranking signals come from wiktionary, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.

Synonym selection checklist

  • Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
  • Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
  • Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "hireling".
  • Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.

When not to replace "hireling"

Keep "hireling" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.

If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.

Replacement workflow

1. Preserve meaning

Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "hireling" intact in the sentence you are editing.

2. Tune tone

Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.

3. Re-read context

Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.

Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.

Final fit check

After choosing a replacement for "hireling", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.

If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "hireling" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.

Related word relations

OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.

5 relation types

More general

7 entries
agenteconomic descriptoremployeeemployment termmotive descriptoroccupational descriptorworker

More specific

9 entries
employeehired gunhired handlackeymercenarypaid workerprofit motiveself interesttemp

Collocations

11 entries
hired handhired servanthireling laborhireling officialshireling soldierslowly hirelingmercenary hirelingmercenary motivepaid employeepaid workerprofit motive

Inflections

1 entries

Derivations

4 entries

Sample sentences

7 total sentences available.

Tatoeba + Wiktionary

And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron: This is the service of the Phase; no foreigner shall eat of it. But every bought servant shall be circumcised, and so shall eat. The stranger and the hireling shall not eat thereof.

Source: tatoeba (8026355)

No refuge could save the hireling and slave from the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave: and the Star - Spangled Banner in triumph doth wave o’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Source: tatoeba (11002089)

Is there not an appointed time to man vpon earth? are not his dayes alſo like the dayes of an hireling?

Source: wiktionary

When my poor James was in the small-pox, did I allow any hireling to nurse him?

Source: wiktionary

Showing 4 of 7 available sentences.

Common questions

What are the closest synonyms for "hireling"?

Closest matches include lackey, mercenary, adventurer, assistant, condottiere.

How should I check whether a synonym fits "hireling"?

Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.

More for "hireling"