PEON Synonyms: 24 Similar and Opposite Words

peon

noun

ˈpē-ˌän

Definition of peon

as in laborer

a person who does very hard or dull work the company had plenty of low-paying positions for people who were content to be peons all their lives

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of peon Soon there was an altercation at the front desk, when a Haitian upbraided the American peons about not getting her free stuff fast enough. — Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 8 Oct. 2025 Not only does the peon and con man Tom end up refashioning himself as the rich and carefree Dickie, but Highsmith’s novel itself was a retelling of Henry James’s The Ambassadors. — Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 19 Apr. 2024 Not afraid but brave, not weak but empowered, not peons but partners. — Ashley Lee, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2024 The powwow features various contests, including powwow singing, dancing, drumming, and peon games, with a total prize money pool of nearly $125,000 for this year’s participants. — Lauren J. Mapp, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Jan. 2024

Recent Examples of Synonyms for peon

Noun

Activists suspect that Flock’s data has been used to plan immigration raids, which frequently target hardware store parking lots where migrant day-laborers often wait for work.

— Jack Crosbie, Rolling Stone, 31 Aug. 2026
His father, Charles, had expanded the New Jersey real estate development business his grandfather, a Polish Holocaust survivor, had begun after starting out as a construction laborer.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of laborer

Noun

Wichai Yuankham, 35, a factory worker who came to watch the ships arrive, said the naval visit was a welcome boost to the local economy.

— Mosheh Gains, NBC news, 2 Sep. 2026
Changing majors and career paths The CNBC survey found that almost 40% of students and workers enrolled in school have considered changing their major, field of study or coursework due to AI, rising to 44% for students who are not employed.

— Sophie Caldwell, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of worker

Browse Nearby Words

penury

peon

peonage

See all Nearby Words

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“Peon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/peon. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of peon

noun

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