hard labor

noun

: compulsory labor of imprisoned criminals as a part of the prison discipline

Examples of hard labor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Further examinations of the overall skeleton also point to a life of hard labor. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 2 July 2025 The scientists also studied the man’s skeleton to determine more about his identity and found extensive evidence of hard labor over the course of a long life. Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 2 July 2025 The facility is notorious for beatings and hard labor. Yuras Karmanau, Christian Science Monitor, 21 June 2025 Those workers – often immigrants and Black men – did hard labor, realigning train tracks in unison. Meg Anderson, NPR, 23 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for hard labor

Word History

First Known Use

1651, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hard labor was in 1651

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Cite this Entry

“Hard labor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hard%20labor. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.

Legal Definition

hard labor

noun
: compulsory labor imposed upon prisoners as part of a sentence or as prison discipline
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