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
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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
Chris Waugh, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2025
This integration can feel challenging; for those conditioned by the violence of capitalistic toil, disrupting the autopilot of perpetual labor with rest can ironically be a very active practice.
—Akilah Sailers, Essence, 5 Apr. 2025
Charlie Campbell, Time, 4 June 2025
These grants were approved by the National Institutes of Health, the world’s largest funder of biomedical research, and the confusion hits Southern California institutions and those toiling in their labs hard.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for toil
Noun
But this season has been one of toil as well as triumph, of inconsistency and dramatic defeats such as Saturday’s 4-1 loss at Aston Villa, as well as long winning runs and historic results.
—Chris Waugh, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2025
This integration can feel challenging; for those conditioned by the violence of capitalistic toil, disrupting the autopilot of perpetual labor with rest can ironically be a very active practice.
—Akilah Sailers, Essence, 5 Apr. 2025
Verb
During campaign events, Lee, who grew up in an impoverished farming household and toiled in factories as a child, spoke from behind bullet-proof glass to crowds, which were surveyed by rooftop police snipers.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 4 June 2025
These grants were approved by the National Institutes of Health, the world’s largest funder of biomedical research, and the confusion hits Southern California institutions and those toiling in their labs hard.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for toil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toil
Verb
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But the last pieces are always the hardest, and the weird SALT dance has the potential to snarl things even more at the last minute — especially after Speaker Johnson labored to get some of the same pro-SALT members to codify spending cuts.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
13 June 2025
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But build rather than buy has been the Apple ethos ever since Jobs and co-founder Steve Wozniak were laboring in their garage in the mid-1970s.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
11 June 2025
Verb
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Flummoxed in Congress, organizing back home The pushback to Trump has been slow in starting as congressional Democrats, outnumbered in both chambers, continue to struggle to devise the strongest message and most effective tactics to use against the Republican president.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
16 June 2025
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Just as a time traveler from the 1960s would struggle to navigate modern life without learning how to operate a phone, a talented professional in 2025 who hasn’t learned to work with AI tools is out of step with reality.—
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic,
Forbes.com,
16 June 2025
Verb
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These latest additional targets, combined with the rising civilian casualties in Israel, constitute an escalation where both sides are striving to alienate the opposing side’s public from its leadership.—
Melik Kaylan,
Forbes.com,
16 June 2025
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For the striving artists, a steady job is not a compromise but a strategic advantage, a powerful catalyst for sustained creativity and personal well-being.—
Kice Akkawi,
Rolling Stone,
16 June 2025
Verb
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In the nearly 20 years since the show's conclusion, the loyal fanbase has pushed for a revival, and Cranston was working behind the scenes to deliver just that.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
People.com,
13 June 2025
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McCarthy worked with former tour mate Depeche Mode’s Alan Wilder on the side project Recoil, and collaborated with techno producer Terence Fixmer.—
August Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Toil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toil. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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