as in tangle
something that catches and holds
a married woman hopelessly caught in the toils of an extramarital affair
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in labors
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 toils
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
The conceit of narrating a year in one’s life through the toils and sensations of the kitchen is one that many have taken up before.
—Hannah Goldfield, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 4 Feb. 2026
Several Democratic incumbents are seeing their young primary opponents boast impressive fundraising numbers as the party toils between placing its faith in its incumbent establishment or in a future featuring younger, more progressive candidates.
—Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 17 Oct. 2025
The film unfolds from the perspective of an eight-year-old girl named Qing (Aline Chen), who lives and works the land with her mother, Hongmei (Li Yanxi), while her father toils in a factory in a faraway city.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 19 Sep. 2025
Noun
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
The conceit of narrating a year in one’s life through the toils and sensations of the kitchen is one that many have taken up before.
—Hannah Goldfield, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Verb
Union itself released a dramatic trailer set in a surgical amphitheater in which a medical team toils away at the sneaker.
—Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 4 Feb. 2026
Several Democratic incumbents are seeing their young primary opponents boast impressive fundraising numbers as the party toils between placing its faith in its incumbent establishment or in a future featuring younger, more progressive candidates.
—Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 17 Oct. 2025
The film unfolds from the perspective of an eight-year-old girl named Qing (Aline Chen), who lives and works the land with her mother, Hongmei (Li Yanxi), while her father toils in a factory in a faraway city.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toils
Noun
-
The lunchtime sandwich that reigns supreme is undoubtedly the mushroom dip, with a tangle of Long Beach oyster mushrooms confited in oil, then roasted until their edges become crisp and curl in the pizza oven.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Inside a sourdough bun was an egg square folded with veggies and a tangle of arugula; sesame seeds formed a crisp outer layer on the bun.—
Cesar Hernandez,
San Francisco Chronicle,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Every man and woman who labors in the construction industry deserves that.—
Tim Dunn,
Boston Herald,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Oil and gas infuse the pores of sandstone; layers of impermeable caprock trap it inside.—
Jeffrey Marlow,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
-
When insurers pull out or double their rates, the resulting lack of affordable coverage stalls recovery and traps families in deep financial pits.—
Carlos Curbelo,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Most important for companies considering replacing patches of their workforce with AI, the MIT data suggests AI struggles to perform more complicated tasks.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Peet plays a therapist who struggles with her own mental health and the health and familial changes that occur during midlife.—
Alexa Mikhail,
Flow Space,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Megan’s Law web site provides the perfect model, and tech has greatly improved over the past 16 years and shouldn’t generate such tremendous cost estimates.—
Teri Sforza,
Oc Register,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Like him, there were other web developers and students who worked two jobs while getting top grades.—
Mary Ellen Klas,
Mercury News,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In a world of jaded billionaires, psychiatrist-gurus, bio-hacked tech bros, AI labs and disillusioned teens being optimized in elite private schools, an audacious data-mining CEO (Magnussen) strives to turn insight and influence into profit and power.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
1 Apr. 2026
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Castlery is a direct-to-consumer furniture brand that strives to offer high-end and well-made yet fairly affordable furniture, and the Desmond chair is a testament to that.—
Kate McGregor,
Architectural Digest,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
After alerting a flight attendant, the woman vanished into the rest room to avoid further entanglement.—
Catherine Lacey,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
-
An emotional entanglement or intense conversation could push you to confront where your energy is going.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The receptionist works behind a period cabinet converted into the sort of desk Philip Marlowe would happily put his feet on and Art Deco ornamentations abound, from the beautiful clocks, to the slightly sinister candlesticks.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
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The acidic composition of white vinegar works efficiently to break down the film that can accumulate on your windows.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Kansas City Star,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Toils.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toils. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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