labor-intensive

adjective

la·​bor-in·​ten·​sive ˈlā-bər-in-ˌten(t)-siv How to pronounce labor-intensive (audio)
: having high labor costs per unit of output
especially : requiring greater expenditure on labor than in capital

Examples of labor-intensive in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
However, on the bright side, AI is least threatening to labor-intensive careers like construction, skilled trades, installation and repair, and maintenance. Jack Kelly, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025 Image Open modal at item 1 of 2 Open modal at item 2 of 2 The process is simple but labor-intensive. Jillian Freyer, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2025 But tracking down and eliminating those improper payments would require big federal expenditures up-front to fund personnel to do the labor-intensive work. Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 21 Apr. 2025 Amodei and Perkins spoke about use cases for AI tools, ranging from personal tasks to helping the largest firms manage some of their most labor-intensive tasks. Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 11 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for labor-intensive

Word History

First Known Use

1928, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of labor-intensive was in 1928

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Labor-intensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/labor-intensive. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!