: produced or performed with labor
labored breathing
also
: lacking ease of expression
a labored speech
Examples of labored in a Sentence
The patient's symptoms included a rapid pulse and labored breathing.
The movie's dialogue seems very labored.
Recent Examples on the Web
The leads are largely stuck sniping at each other between bouts of labored philosophizing and personal backstory, never coming close to a credible mutual rapport.
—
Dennis Harvey, Variety, 26 Feb. 2025
Image Her paintings at times look schematic and labored, and in general pale beside the sculptures.
—Deborah Solomon, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2025
The mechanics that are required to get into this mess are a bit labored.
—Esther Zuckerman, IndieWire, 29 Jan. 2025
The most startling part of the costume is the mask, with its severe and labored expression.
—Jennie Rothenberg Gritz, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for labored
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Dennis Harvey, Variety, 26 Feb. 2025
Image Her paintings at times look schematic and labored, and in general pale beside the sculptures.
—Deborah Solomon, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2025
The mechanics that are required to get into this mess are a bit labored.
—Esther Zuckerman, IndieWire, 29 Jan. 2025
The most startling part of the costume is the mask, with its severe and labored expression.
—Jennie Rothenberg Gritz, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for labored
Cite this Entry
“Labored.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/labored. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
labored
adjective
la·bored
ˈlā-bərd 
: produced or performed with difficulty or strain
labored breathing
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