1
as in job
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 effort
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 toil
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 childbirth
the act or process of giving birth to children
the mother's labor lasted for six hours
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5
as in production
something produced by physical or intellectual effort
a small, personal film that was clearly a labor of love for the director and actors
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as in to struggle
to devote serious and sustained effort
the young lawyer labored most of the weekend over the difficult legal brief
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of labor
Jessica Simmons-Reid, Artforum, 1 June 2025
In part, the current scarcity is being fueled by Covid-era supply-chain issues, material costs and labor shortages.
—Kelsey Neubauer, CNBC, 30 May 2025
David Lyons, Sun Sentinel, 20 May 2025
Each creator contributed immensely to American art and culture, while laboring in an industry that, until recently, produced very little financial rewards or respect.
—Rob Salkowitz, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for labor
Noun
This multipage text serves as an interlude, a waypoint between the images that depict labor and the images that depict birth—the moment of fission when one body splits into two.
—Jessica Simmons-Reid, Artforum, 1 June 2025
In part, the current scarcity is being fueled by Covid-era supply-chain issues, material costs and labor shortages.
—Kelsey Neubauer, CNBC, 30 May 2025
Verb
Brightline has labored to increase ridership along its 170-mile extension to Orlando from West Palm Beach.
—David Lyons, Sun Sentinel, 20 May 2025
Each creator contributed immensely to American art and culture, while laboring in an industry that, until recently, produced very little financial rewards or respect.
—Rob Salkowitz, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for labor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for labor
Noun
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Kelley, of Downtown Railyard Venture, said the financing plan allows for the public infrastructure needed to support housing, jobs, transit and amenities in the district.—
Annika Merrilees,
Sacbee.com,
5 June 2025
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The unemployment rate is hovering at just over 4%, and employers have added a solid number of jobs each month.—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
5 June 2025
Noun
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Those short-term staff make up the highest proportion of FEMA employees, about 40%, and are a pillar of the agency's on-the-ground response efforts.—
Leah Douglas,
USA Today,
4 June 2025
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Seeing them at all used to be very rare, but sightings are increasing as their numbers grow thanks to conservation efforts.—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2025
Noun
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There’s also mental health counseling to help the students deal with the emotional toil that homelessness takes.—
Debbie Daniel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 May 2025
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His instincts were forged during the Cultural Revolution, in the 1960s and 1970s, when his family fell from grace and he was sent to toil in rural Shaanxi.—
Zongyuan Zoe Liu,
Foreign Affairs,
29 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Women will learn what bodily changes to expect after giving birth, how to prepare for childbirth and how to maximize recovery.—
Orlando Sentinel Staff,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 June 2025
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Clinton: Medicaid pays for about 40% of all childbirth and pays for an enormous percentage of senior citizens' health care and a lot of other stuff.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
3 June 2025
Noun
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The renowned luxury hotel is situated just a few blocks from Lake Michigan and not too far from the Near West Side, where Harpo Studios, Winfrey’s multimedia production company, was located at the time.—
Joyce Chen,
Architectural Digest,
30 May 2025
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Cost-cutting measures, better alignment of production with demand, and improved software and electrification strategies will be crucial, analysts say.—
Neil Winton,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
Verb
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Command and control continue to haunt Cleveland Guardians right-hander, Triston McKenzie. McKenzie, 27, struggled mightily in his brief appearances with the Guardians this season.—
Bernie Pleskoff,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
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Both players have struggled with runners in scoring position this season, but that wasn’t the case Tuesday.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
4 June 2025
Noun
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Its stern warnings are scary and uncomfortable--the headaches, indigestion, muscle spasms, body aches, clenched teeth or knots in your chest.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
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More severe cases of salmonellosis may include a high fever, aches, headaches, lethargy, a rash, blood in the urine or stool, and in some cases may become fatal.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 June 2025
Noun
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Then, a year later, came the moves up the coaching ladder with the Heat that included G League work with the Skyforce.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
1 June 2025
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He is noted for exceptional design work on notable homes in the area.—
James Alexander,
Hartford Courant,
1 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Labor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/labor. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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