1
as in distress
a state of great suffering of body or mind
no greater travail than that of parents who have suffered the death of a child
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in labor
very hard or unpleasant work
these villagers now have decent housing, so our travail has not been in vain
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in childbirth
the act or process of giving birth to children
a midwife assisted her throughout her long travail
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to labor
to devote serious and sustained effort
Labor Day is the day on which we recognize those men and women who daily travail with little appreciation or compensation
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of travail
Rebecca Scofield / Made By History, TIME, 21 Jan. 2025
He’s often accompanied by his day-drinking pals Jaime and Oscar, two other inventively drawn La-La Land castoffs with their own eccentric show biz travels and travails.
—Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2025
Perhaps Uber’s travails in Southeast Asia can be instructive, both for Western companies seeking to expand internationally and for the region’s various governments.
—Muraly Srinarayanathas, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
The actor cannot possibly know that his trial will last only three days before the charges are to be dismissed on procedural grounds; the legal travails represent for him an expensive, upsetting and reputationally ruinous nightmare.
—Daniel D'addario, Variety, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for travail
Noun
Horse-girl stories often featured young female protagonists who overcame challenges, experienced emotional growth, and developed relationships through the trials and travails of horseback riding.
—Rebecca Scofield / Made By History, TIME, 21 Jan. 2025
He’s often accompanied by his day-drinking pals Jaime and Oscar, two other inventively drawn La-La Land castoffs with their own eccentric show biz travels and travails.
—Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2025
Perhaps Uber’s travails in Southeast Asia can be instructive, both for Western companies seeking to expand internationally and for the region’s various governments.
—Muraly Srinarayanathas, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
The actor cannot possibly know that his trial will last only three days before the charges are to be dismissed on procedural grounds; the legal travails represent for him an expensive, upsetting and reputationally ruinous nightmare.
—Daniel D'addario, Variety, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for travail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for travail
Noun
-
At the Santa Monica test location after the rains, the level of beryllium — a metal that is toxic to fish and corals and causes respiratory distress in humans — was more than 10 times the maximum limit allowed.—
Corinne Purtill,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2025
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The result: Some doctors and hospitals have held back on treatments, waiting for the fetal heartbeat to stop or for patients to wind up in undeniable distress.—
Kavitha Surana,
ProPublica,
27 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
In order to assess the risks of industrial labor, states began collecting data about accidents and deaths.—
Allie Volpe,
Vox,
3 Apr. 2025
-
Under O’Brien’s leadership, the Teamsters union has engaged with the Trump administration even as other major American labor groups have distanced themselves.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Other medical dramas have often depicted childbirth, but not to this level of graphic detail.—
Esther Kang,
People.com,
14 Mar. 2025
-
This single program covers about 40% of all childbirths, 80% of children living in poverty, nearly half of all children with special healthcare needs and more than 60% of adult nursing home residents.—
Brian Castrucci,
Forbes,
5 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The 25-year-old struggled to impact the game and there was a disconnect between her and Clinton, her United team-mate.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
5 Apr. 2025
-
Atlanta's lineup has struggled tremendously this season, and using Elder as a trade piece to bring in a big-time hitter would be pretty smart.—
Newsweek Staff,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
With espresso especially, the right grinder can be the difference between ecstasy, agony, and simple defeat.—
Matthew Korfhage,
Wired News,
1 Apr. 2025
-
According to the outlet, the agony caused Cornett to remove her name outside her dorm room, temporarily relocate to emergency housing, switch to online classes and continue to spend most of her time in her room.—
David Chiu,
People.com,
1 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The grant terminations have drawn criticism for jeopardizing historical preservation efforts, educational programs like National History Day, and research projects across the country.—
Sarah D. Wire,
USA Today,
5 Apr. 2025
-
His effort, which involved dozens of fellow Senate Democrats asking questions to relieve his speaking burden, set a record for the longest speech on record in the chamber.—
NPR Staff,
NPR,
5 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The Grand Slams have certainly increased their compensation as each strives to make their experience bigger and better.—
Tim Ellis,
Forbes.com,
5 Apr. 2025
-
Passionate about Jewish education and social justice, Olga strives to connect individuals and communities with opportunities to make a difference and support the sustainability of Jewish nonprofits.—
Olga & Igor Alterman,
Sun Sentinel,
2 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Hiding your anguish while pretending to be excited.—
Melissa Willets,
Parents,
25 Mar. 2025
-
Her teammates surrounded her, doing their best to block her anguish from the view of nearby photographers, before trainers arrived to help her.—
Houston Mitchell,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Travail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/travail. Accessed 8 Apr. 2025.
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