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
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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
Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 24 Apr. 2025
He was suspected of being involved in labor/human trafficking, according to a 2022 Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) report obtained by Fox News.
—Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 24 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
That’s not surprising to me with Chobani, because that’s much more labor intensive, as opposed to Micron being more capital intensive.
—Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 24 Apr. 2025
He was suspected of being involved in labor/human trafficking, according to a 2022 Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) report obtained by Fox News.
—Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 24 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
-
Neither party is doing a better job at reducing crime.—
Christopher S. Warshaw,
The Conversation,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The removals mark Trump's latest effort to fire officials at independent regulatory agencies.—
Pete Schroeder,
USA Today,
17 Apr. 2025
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After concerns regarding hunting and fishing were quelled, the redesignation effort gained popularity with the West Virginia congressional delegation and was incorporated into an omnibus bill in late 2020.—
Luke Gentile,
The Washington Examiner,
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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The state government collects significant taxes and royalties on oil production.—
Brett Watson,
The Conversation,
24 Apr. 2025
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Today, cooperatives are still responsible for around 70% of Alto Adige’s wine production, along with 32 private wine estates and around 100 independent wine growers.—
John Mariani,
Forbes.com,
24 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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Now, nearly a month after signing, the Tucson, Arizona, native is finally back in the big leagues, thanks to the struggling Braves' desperation to fill their outfield slots.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
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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His work involved securing software using AI to find and close any loopholes where someone could exploit a vulnerability in the code.—
Matt Emma,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2025
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According to the 2023 PwC Employee Financial Wellness Survey, 60% of employees say financial stress affects their performance at work.—
Jay Reddick,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Labor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/labor. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
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