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
Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
The sticky organism reminded him of the next day’s labors and the scent of the forest.
—Literary Hub, 16 Jan. 2026
In the studio with artist Anselm Kiefer (Video) In this web exclusive CBS News got a glimpse at the labors of German artist Anselm Kiefer, considered one of the world's most important living painters.
—David Morgan, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
But the attention the episode pays to her labors the next day to secure Helen’s grace is a great example of Gillian’s slow-burn style paying off.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 26 Nov. 2025
The time has come for decorating enthusiasts around Middle Tennessee to shine, and for area visitors ― and those of us who live nearby and enjoy scoping out Christmas decor, or getting a few ideas of our own to add in next year ― to see the fruits of their labors.
—Nicole Young, Nashville Tennessean, 23 Nov. 2025
So many seem eager to be rid of the labors of thought and expression—the very labors that define them as free and autonomous human beings—by ceding them to generative artificial intelligence.
—Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025
For all the revelry, there was a tough, discursive seriousness in the approach that Lang and O’Hara took to their labors in the late forties and early fifties.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
Noun
The main premise of the original Patlabor anime still holds true with EZY, with the focus being on a future Japanese police force using mecha called labors to combat crime.
—Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
The sticky organism reminded him of the next day’s labors and the scent of the forest.
—Literary Hub, 16 Jan. 2026
In the studio with artist Anselm Kiefer (Video) In this web exclusive CBS News got a glimpse at the labors of German artist Anselm Kiefer, considered one of the world's most important living painters.
—David Morgan, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
But the attention the episode pays to her labors the next day to secure Helen’s grace is a great example of Gillian’s slow-burn style paying off.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 26 Nov. 2025
The time has come for decorating enthusiasts around Middle Tennessee to shine, and for area visitors ― and those of us who live nearby and enjoy scoping out Christmas decor, or getting a few ideas of our own to add in next year ― to see the fruits of their labors.
—Nicole Young, Nashville Tennessean, 23 Nov. 2025
So many seem eager to be rid of the labors of thought and expression—the very labors that define them as free and autonomous human beings—by ceding them to generative artificial intelligence.
—Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025
For all the revelry, there was a tough, discursive seriousness in the approach that Lang and O’Hara took to their labors in the late forties and early fifties.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for labors
Noun
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These include smart finds for meal prep, cooking, and cleaning—because there’s no shortage of everyday kitchen headaches to solve.—
Melanie Fincher,
Southern Living,
10 Feb. 2026
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The change could also prompt state governments to roll out a patchwork of their own regulations, adding a new layer of compliance headaches for automakers, utilities, and other companies.—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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While Walker took home the award, several members of Seattle’s defense turned in MVP-level efforts.—
Alex Valdes,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Instead, in an email to Blodget, a representative for Epstein’s philanthropic foundation said the foundation was hoping to remove the mugshot because doing so would help its research efforts.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
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How Tielemans overcame early toils is often used as a source of encouragement by new additions who seem peripheral at first.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In some Michigan counties, Medicaid covers more than half of all childbirths.—
Kristen Jordan Shamus,
Freep.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The restaurant approaching its 30th anniversary sources a hefty amount of produce and other products from local farms — a theme that continues for Cochran at Bruce Moffett’s Stagioni.—
Heidi Finley,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Feb. 2026
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For example, beef and coffee prices were up about 15% and 18% on an annual basis in January, respectively, due largely to supply constraints for each of those products.—
Greg Iacurci,
CNBC,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The film tells the story 21-year-old Junyang, who drifts through life while his father quietly struggles to hold their modest home together.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
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The middle-aged woman cured of breast cancer who now struggles to climb stairs because endocrine therapy has carved away her bone density and caused joint aches.—
Gilberto Lopes,
STAT,
12 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Every January, visitation effectively starts at zero — yet year after year, those efforts deliver results that power jobs, support small businesses, and expand opportunity far beyond the tourism industry.—
Paul S. Mears III,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Feb. 2026
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Following a #SaveThePost social campaign, The Washington Post initiated a restructuring on Wednesday, cutting more than 300 jobs across its sports, books, metro and international sections, as well as shutting down the Post Reports podcast.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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On the contemporary artist side, the duo Libby Rosen contributed seven luminous textile works made of marbled quilted fabric.—
Grace Edquist,
Vogue,
7 Feb. 2026
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More than 30 of these works, created in a collaboration between people and bees, are in the exhibit.—
Myrna Petlicki,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Labors.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/labors. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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