as in labor
very hard or unpleasant work
after years of toil in a sweatshop, Kim was finally able to start her own dressmaking business
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in tangle
usually toils plural
something that catches and holds
a married woman hopelessly caught in the toils of an extramarital affair
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to labor
to devote serious and sustained effort
toiled for many years on the mammoth outdoor sculpture
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of toil
Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Sep. 2025
This has been a turbulent window for Villa, not only against the backdrop of such challenges but also the toils involved in moving current players on.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025
Sandy Ong, JSTOR Daily, 11 Sep. 2025
Holmes toiled for a decade in the minors before his first MLB call with the Braves in 2024.
—David O'Brien, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for toil
Noun
Lit Witches Double, double, toil and trouble!
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Sep. 2025
This has been a turbulent window for Villa, not only against the backdrop of such challenges but also the toils involved in moving current players on.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025
Verb
At first glance, Nam-Joon Cho’s lab at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University looks like your typical research facility—scientists toiling away, crowded workbenches, a hum of machinery in the background.
—Sandy Ong, JSTOR Daily, 11 Sep. 2025
Holmes toiled for a decade in the minors before his first MLB call with the Braves in 2024.
—David O'Brien, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for toil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toil
Verb
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At Villa Park, his frailty was epic, defiant, even as his bandmates labored drastically to summon the power of 50 years earlier.—
James Parker,
The Atlantic,
12 Sep. 2025
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While such a scenario sounds potentially maudlin and manipulative, Lucero — who wrote the film from a personal place — never allows that to happen by making the characters complex and flawed, and laboring under real-life issues.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Livonia bread staple West Fenkell Bakery permanently closed its doors on Middlebelt Road near Five Mile, after owners struggled to make ends meet in the midst of renegotiating a contract for its building.—
Natalie Davies,
Freep.com,
19 Sep. 2025
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Atlanta struggled out of the gate, trailing by six after the first quarter, after being outscored 14-0 from the 3-point and free-throw lines combined.—
Kilty Cleary,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In a time when instant gratification and overnight success are what people strive for, Wayans is much more focused on the process.—
Essence,
Essence,
18 Sep. 2025
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Ushering his start in February, the Australian is striving to prolong a seven-month season.—
Cory Mull,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Alfred is arguably the second-best 200-meter runner among the three and will work hard to secure a gold medal at these championships.—
Katelyn Hutchison,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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Long said six campus police officers were working the event, including some in plainclothes who were monitoring the crowd.—
Bill Hutchinson,
ABC News,
15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Toil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toil. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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