English Reference
Noun

coworker

n. countable
B1 Intermediate US /ˈkoʊˈwɝkɝ/ co·work·er UK spelling coworkers

n.someone you work with, usually at the same level as you in a company.

n.a person with whom one works, typically in a professional or office environment. Often implies a peer relationship rather than a hierarchical one.


SIMPLE

I am going to lunch with a coworker today.

CONTEXTUAL

After the meeting, a coworker helped me finish the presentation so we could submit it before the deadline.

COMPLEX

Maintaining professional boundaries with a coworker can be challenging when the collaborative nature of the project encourages a more personal friendship outside of office hours.

Usage

Commonly used in American English; 'colleague' is often preferred in British English or more formal contexts.

Pitfall
my workmate coworkermy coworker

Learners sometimes combine 'workmate' and 'coworker', but these are synonyms and should be used separately.


From co- + worker.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B1 · Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated