1
as in emphasized
to speak or write about insistently and usually tiresomely
stop belaboring the fact that they're already in debt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in attacked
to criticize harshly and usually publicly
there's no need to belabor other people's flaws when you're hardly perfect yourself
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in licked
to strike repeatedly
with a whip he belabored a horse almost to the point of death
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of belabored
Jones belabored this point as well, once again citing packing too much and how a broken zipper can quickly turn messy if security is unable to quickly re-pack your belongings.
—
Kelsey Legg, ABC News, 13 Feb. 2026
His restraint suits a story in which machine-kind and humankind begin to feel shrink-wrapped together, the ghosts belabored by increasing social pressure, the humans jolted by high-voltage wires.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2026
The movie is effervescent; there’s nothing belabored about it.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 15 Dec. 2025
The stereotype of constructing the culture of a program in the mirror image of the head coach is belabored throughout every college football season.
—Christopher Kamrani, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Its instructions are vague, its arguments belabored and its absurdist fables too plentiful.
—Book Marks
october 2, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2025
Kelsey Legg, ABC News, 13 Feb. 2026
His restraint suits a story in which machine-kind and humankind begin to feel shrink-wrapped together, the ghosts belabored by increasing social pressure, the humans jolted by high-voltage wires.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2026
The movie is effervescent; there’s nothing belabored about it.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 15 Dec. 2025
The stereotype of constructing the culture of a program in the mirror image of the head coach is belabored throughout every college football season.
—Christopher Kamrani, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Its instructions are vague, its arguments belabored and its absurdist fables too plentiful.
—Book Marks
october 2, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belabored
Verb
-
The team’s brass has routinely emphasized its support of starting quarterback Bryce Young throughout the offseason.—
Mike Kaye
April 1,
Charlotte Observer,
1 Apr. 2026
-
During a comments and questions portion of the town hall attendees emphasized the importance of voting in upcoming elections and joining protests.—
Jake Allen,
IndyStar,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Kuwait’s Al Salmi tanker was attacked at the port connected to the United Arab Emirates city better known as a destination for influencers, Reuters and The New York Times reported.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The Houthis have previously attacked commercial ships in the Red Sea to disrupt the flow of oil, gas and other commodities through the Bab el-Mandeb strait.—
Lucia I Suarez Sang,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Rumor has it the fashion crowd licked the shelves clean in Paris as soon as the first designs hit stores.—
Christina Holevas,
Vogue,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Of course, the flue was closed, so the fire licked up the walls, left a smell like the fall, like ancient smokehouses and dung.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
During a weekend news conference, Koch stressed how humanity’s path to Mars goes through the moon, the proving ground for points beyond.—
Marcia Dunn,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Workers are understandably stressed over their employers investing billions into AI, as layoffs sweep tech companies, and AI agents are positioned as humans’ new coworkers.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Mosquera slammed home a volley from outside the area off a clearance attempt to tie it 1-1 in the 36th minute and fed Da Costo for a first-touch finish from point-blank range give the Timbers a 2-1 lead in the second minute of first-half stoppage time.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
But the wind, rising quickly, brought higher waves that slammed the small boat with growing force.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
When the ball missed, the mascots howled with laughter; one of them, a big yellow mountain lion, pounded the ground.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The villagers huddled in their church for protection as Israeli warplanes pounded large swaths of southern and eastern Lebanon while Israeli troops stepped up a ground invasion and Hezbollah kept firing rockets at Israel.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The former Iranian diplomat Hossein Mousavian once scolded Americans for failing to realize that his people are prideful and vain, and that negotiations meant to humiliate and insult them won’t get far.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
3 Apr. 2026
-
But the stunt goes south as Wooley turns out to be an unabashed bigot who embarrasses the show and gets scolded by the host.—
Erik Pedersen,
Deadline,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Trump has repeatedly lashed out at allies for refusing to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz; the UK is hosting talks with dozens of nations Thursday aimed at forming a coalition focused on that goal.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
2 Apr. 2026
-
After Cooke lashed out verbally, Wilson intervened and later comforted Batula in a conversation picked up by their microphones.—
Jenni Fink,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Belabored.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belabored. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
