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
Miles Walls, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Apr. 2025
Others are brilliant master watchmakers who long toil for other brands and one day strike out on their own to prove their mettle.
—Carol Besler, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
Victoria Bekiempis, Vulture, 13 May 2025
Now 30, the American has been toiling in European football for nearly 10 years.
—Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for toil
Noun
The precise planting also reduces water loss to make your garden more efficient and productive with less toil and cost.
—Miles Walls, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Apr. 2025
Others are brilliant master watchmakers who long toil for other brands and one day strike out on their own to prove their mettle.
—Carol Besler, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
Verb
In a revised indictment in March, Diddy was accused of controlling several employees by forcing them to toil grueling hours with minimal sleep — and then threatening them to keep them in line.
—Victoria Bekiempis, Vulture, 13 May 2025
Now 30, the American has been toiling in European football for nearly 10 years.
—Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for toil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toil
Verb
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Halfway through his first term, Johnson is laboring diligently to shore up his support among Black voters.—
Laura Washington,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2025
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Supreme Court justice calls it 'ridiculous' Trump cuts reach climate scientists who labored for free Melina Khan is a trending reporter covering national news for USA TODAY.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
1 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 ended up struggling to hold their country together, let alone effect the changes that their activist supporters had hoped to see.—
E. Tammy Kim,
New Yorker,
4 June 2025
Verb
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The album’s 11 tracks don’t strive to be confessional, just open.—
Janine Schaults,
Chicago Tribune,
3 June 2025
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This leads them to strive to inspire others, creating a virtuous cycle that perpetually increases engagement, a sense of purpose, and more.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
3 June 2025
Verb
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His mother worked as a doctor in China, and juggled three jobs in the U.S. for over a decade, saving up enough to eventually open a medical clinic.—
Samantha Subin,
CNBC,
31 May 2025
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The data doesn't lie: vaccines work, including against COVID-19.—
Lizz Schumer,
People.com,
31 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Toil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toil. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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