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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of toil
ABC News,
4 May 2026
Some fleeing toil and craving transcendence, others reaffirming a faith long professed.
—
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
Britt Hayes,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 June 2026
For 10 long years, the sovereign toiled in a 2-by-10-foot castle antechamber to create the perfect beer.
—
Bill Swank,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for toil
Noun
Westerners, Arabs and Indians dominate business and finance, while laborers from poor countries in Asia and Africa toil for long hours in scorching temperatures at oil facilities and construction sites — often with few protections.
—
ABC News,
4 May 2026
Some fleeing toil and craving transcendence, others reaffirming a faith long professed.
—
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
The silent sci-fi film, which depicts a dystopian future in which the wealthy upper class prospers in a utopia while the working class lives and toils in a dismal underground society, was released in theaters in 1927.
—
Britt Hayes,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 June 2026
For 10 long years, the sovereign toiled in a 2-by-10-foot castle antechamber to create the perfect beer.
—
Bill Swank,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for toil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toil
Noun
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This means nearly every labor unit in the CSU will be out of contract July 1.
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Freshwater showers mean the sweaty smells of young adults doing manual labor never get too intense.
Noun
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They’re immediately pulled into a tangle of police reports, hospital notifications, insurance calls, and legal questions that can feel impossible to sort through while grieving.
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Richie Laryea for Canada burst into the box in a good position but was brought to ground amid a tangle of legs with South Africa’s Khuliso Mudau.
Verb
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Amid the mutiny in the House, Johnson canceled unrelated votes, struggling to get enough support to move the legislation.
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The Pirates posted a six-run fifth inning against struggling starter Aaron Nola (3-5).
Noun
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But the effort was set aside after the onset of COVID-19, which caused massive disruptions across the Los Angeles Unified School District, said Michael Trujillo, a political strategist for Gonez.
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Both countries have stepped up efforts to safeguard freedom of navigation and uphold international law in the strait, including hosting a summit with 51 other nations in April.
Noun
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This is because the infrastructure of the city traps in all of the heat that built up during the day, thus preventing a normal nocturnal cooldown seen in non-urban settings.
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One of the biggest traps organizations fall into is assuming employees already know what behaviors are valued.
Verb
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When technology lowers the cost of doing something, companies always strive to do more.
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For example, business functions strive for growth, while development teams focus on functionality.
Noun
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The combination of heat and high humidity feels insufferable and dangerous because the human body can't cool off as effectively when sweat stays on the skin.
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Foad adds that the idea of eliminating toxins comes from sweat washing away trace amounts of heavy metals from the skin, rather than flushing toxins from inside the body.
Noun
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Dark web markets are shrouded in secrecy, but admins of dark web marketplaces have been identified by law enforcement and arrested before.
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Cite this Entry
“Toil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toil. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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