1
as in job
a dull, unpleasant, or difficult piece of work
one of the labors of Hercules in classical mythology was to clean out the stables of King Augeas
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in effort
the active use of energy in producing a result
a superhuman amount of labor must have gone into designing and building the pyramids of Egypt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in toil
very hard or unpleasant work
a political dissident forced to do six months of hard labor in the salt mines as punishment
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in childbirth
the act or process of giving birth to children
the mother's labor lasted for six hours
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in production
something produced by physical or intellectual effort
a small, personal film that was clearly a labor of love for the director and actors
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as in to struggle
to devote serious and sustained effort
the young lawyer labored most of the weekend over the difficult legal brief
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of labor
Kif Leswing, CNBC, 11 Apr. 2025
How many massages would feel equal to the labor involved in, say, redoing your back porch?
—Kyle Norris, NPR, 11 Apr. 2025
David Rising, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2025
Stanek labored through mechanical changes in his first six weeks as a Met last summer, and the team contemplated releasing him.
—Tim Britton, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for labor
Noun
Bank of America Securities’ Mohan estimated on Thursday that the labor cost for assembling and testing an iPhone in the U.S. would come in at $200 per iPhone, up from $40 in China.
—Kif Leswing, CNBC, 11 Apr. 2025
How many massages would feel equal to the labor involved in, say, redoing your back porch?
—Kyle Norris, NPR, 11 Apr. 2025
Verb
With many left homeless by the earthquake, and many others staying away from their homes over fears ongoing aftershocks will bring them down, workers in Naypyitaw labored in the 40 degree Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) busily erected big tents in open fields to provide some shelter.
—David Rising, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2025
Stanek labored through mechanical changes in his first six weeks as a Met last summer, and the team contemplated releasing him.
—Tim Britton, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for labor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for labor
Noun
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Sure enough, in early 2024, PJ took a job as an avionics technician at Tinker.—
Jenni Carlson,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
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The premise alone is perfectly thrilling: Four men take a job driving explosive nitroglycerin over a mountain pass.—
Brian Tallerico,
Vulture,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
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At the end of March, the Trump administration’s effort to deport foreign students involved in anti-Israel disruptions on campus received an unexpected endorsement.—
Jimmy Quinn,
National Review,
17 Apr. 2025
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The team hopes that the discovery showing the ancient human connection to great bustards spurs more conservation efforts to keep this population from going extinct.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Original Price: $25.99 Sale Price: $23.59 (10% off) Buy Now on Amazon Witches Brew Cauldron Stoneware Mug Double, double toil and trouble… or just coffee?—
Maria Correa,
Miami Herald,
3 Mar. 2025
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In a nation that has built its economic and cultural infrastructure on the toil of Black women, the act of resting—of lying down, of breathing deeply, of existing outside of labor—is nothing short of radical.—
Ashlee Marie Preston,
Forbes,
25 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The report underscores the urgent need for changes ensuring all women receive safe and equitable care during pregnancy and childbirth.—
Dominique Fluker,
Essence,
16 Apr. 2025
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Complications from pregnancy and childbirth are some of the leading causes of death for girls between the ages of 15 to 19 across the world, according to the WHO.—
Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech,
The Hill,
13 Apr. 2025
Noun
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According to researchers, removing a single gene that controls production of a hormone called thyroxine can create swarms of tadpoles incapable of their usual metamorphosis into adult amphibians.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
10 Apr. 2025
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The larger portion of the mask is formulated with NAD+, a coenzyme that supports collagen production and soothes antioxidative stress, and the lower chin piece puts polylactic acid to work in each little microfiber of the mask to lift, firm, and improve texture and tone evenness.—
Annie Blackman,
Allure,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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And their struggling offense is becoming a major concern.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
18 Apr. 2025
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Behind her glamorous exterior, the real Dorothy was a closeted lesbian who struggled with substance abuse and was mistreated by the men within Hollywood’s studio system before ultimately committing suicide.—
Abby Monteil,
Them.,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Aside from her talk about specific songs, Roan also opened up about the creative process, which can sometimes be a massive headache, despite her being known for her catalog of fun and peppy songs.—
Mathew Rodriguez,
Them.,
17 Apr. 2025
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Making matters worse, China’s been a real headache for Starbucks, even before the tariffs, on increasing local competition and tepid growth in the world’s second-largest economy.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
16 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Grace Bastidas, Editor-in-Chief Having a healthy relationship with an ex takes hard work, especially when kids are involved.—
Grace Bastidas,
Parents,
14 Apr. 2025
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Their work spans both natural and built environments, and is committed to the discovery of new material and social possibilities.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
14 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Labor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/labor. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
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