1
as in headaches
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 efforts
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 toils
very hard or unpleasant work
a political dissident forced to do six months of hard labor in the salt mines as punishment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in childbirths
the act or process of giving birth to children
the mother's labor lasted for six hours
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in products
something produced by physical or intellectual effort
a small, personal film that was clearly a labor of love for the director and actors
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in struggles
to devote serious and sustained effort
the young lawyer labored most of the weekend over the difficult legal brief
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of labors
Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
Residents need relief from high rates and the city itself labors under a hefty and ever-rising power bill, adding tens of millions to its deficit.
—Craig D. Rose, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2026
In fact, to not do so would be robbing yourself of the fruits of your past labors.
—R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
Like the appeals made by women during the antiquity to midwife goddesses, prayer and supplication were ways to affirm intentions for healthy pregnancies, calm labors, and living children.
—Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
In the second round, Sarah labors.
—Gerald Witt, AJC.com, 1 Mar. 2026
And while the fruits of those labors may not be realized until later in the winter or in the spring — when free agency and the draft finally arrive — the next few days are crucial for laying groundwork.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 25 Feb. 2026
Thousands of truck enthusiasts gathered to display their revving, roving labors of love at the annual Lone Star Throwdown in Conroe this weekend, one of the country’s largest custom truck shows.
—Maliya Ellis, Houston Chronicle, 21 Feb. 2026
The image, captured by photographer John Kraus, provided a novel view looking almost directly up and into the rocket's intense exhaust plume as it was shaped and backlit by the furious labors of the Merlin engines.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 18 Feb. 2026
Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 5 Mar. 2026
Noun
Johnson is consistent in mirroring the release from his pedal and rarely labors when transitioning with route breaks.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
Residents need relief from high rates and the city itself labors under a hefty and ever-rising power bill, adding tens of millions to its deficit.
—Craig D. Rose, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2026
In fact, to not do so would be robbing yourself of the fruits of your past labors.
—R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
Like the appeals made by women during the antiquity to midwife goddesses, prayer and supplication were ways to affirm intentions for healthy pregnancies, calm labors, and living children.
—Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
In the second round, Sarah labors.
—Gerald Witt, AJC.com, 1 Mar. 2026
And while the fruits of those labors may not be realized until later in the winter or in the spring — when free agency and the draft finally arrive — the next few days are crucial for laying groundwork.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 25 Feb. 2026
Thousands of truck enthusiasts gathered to display their revving, roving labors of love at the annual Lone Star Throwdown in Conroe this weekend, one of the country’s largest custom truck shows.
—Maliya Ellis, Houston Chronicle, 21 Feb. 2026
The image, captured by photographer John Kraus, provided a novel view looking almost directly up and into the rocket's intense exhaust plume as it was shaped and backlit by the furious labors of the Merlin engines.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 18 Feb. 2026
Verb
Every man and woman who labors in the construction industry deserves that.
—Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 5 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for labors
Noun
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The need to seek alternative Internet fiber routes comes on top of Big Tech’s other headaches from the war and Strait of Hormuz crisis.—
Jeremy Hsu,
ArsTechnica,
19 May 2026
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Scarlett Johansson is Hester, Irwin’s wife, whose terrible headaches and blurred vision result in a devastating medical diagnosis.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
This has been, in no small part, because Russia’s writers have often played an antagonistic role in the efforts of Russia’s rulers to shape a particular image of the country, including Alexander Pushkin and Leo Tolstoy—arguably Russia’s two most iconic literary geniuses.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
-
But Jeffries’s efforts, which have achieved mixed results, have also elicited concerns from some of his supporters.—
Jason Zengerle,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Noun
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There has to be a chance that Jos Buttler’s toils in Sri Lanka and India represent his last ventures on the international stage, and therefore the end of an era.—
Paul Newman,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Both were premised on the idea of frictionless ease, liberating their users from outmoded toils.—
Jake Lundberg,
The Atlantic,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Many women may not be aware at all that private details of their childbirths were shared with law enforcement.—
Shoshana Walter,
CBS News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
In some Michigan counties, Medicaid covers more than half of all childbirths.—
Kristen Jordan Shamus,
Freep.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
There are only full-size bath products in the rooms.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 May 2026
-
The act also would have shifted oversight of safety and testing from the Marijuana Enforcement Division to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and funded a program in which regulators would randomly collect marijuana products from dispensaries to test them for contaminants.—
Christopher Osher,
ProPublica,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
By slow degrees, Philip’s story shifts to accommodate the incontrovertible evidence of IP addresses and deciphered cryptography and Lucy struggles to keep up, let alone understand.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
15 May 2026
-
Courtesy Christine Russo Christine Russo, Dominic Russo’s older sister, who participated in the Netflix documentary, said her family still struggles with his loss.—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
15 May 2026
Noun
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One candidate ran as a fervent booster, arguing that Atlantic Yards would bring jobs and housing to the area.—
Jason Zengerle,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
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These titles often glorify overwork and set unrealistic expectations from day one, contributing to the kind of stress that causes people to resign and look for low-stress jobs in the first place.—
Sho Dewan,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
Most of the lamps on view this week and next are works of sculpture in themselves, from a towering totemic floor lamp to a slight but dynamic nightlight.—
Anthony Paletta,
Curbed,
17 May 2026
-
These works demonstrate innovative breakthroughs in both technology and art.—
Partner Content,
Variety,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Labors.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/labors. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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