TRAVAIL Synonyms: 188 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the noun 'travail' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of travail are drudgery , grind , labor , toil , and work . While all these words mean "activity involving effort or exertion," travail is bookish for labor involving pain or suffering. // years of travail were lost when the house burned

Q: In what contexts can 'drudgery' take the place of 'travail'?

The words drudgery and travail can be used in similar contexts, but drudgery suggests dull and irksome labor. // an editorial job with a good deal of drudgery

Q: When would 'grind' be a good substitute for 'travail'?

Although the words grind and travail have much in common, grind implies labor exhausting to mind or body. // the grind of the assembly line

Q: When is it sensible to use 'labor' instead of 'travail'?

While in some cases nearly identical to travail , labor applies to physical or intellectual work involving great and often strenuous exertion. // farmers demanding fair compensation for their labor

Q: When could 'toil' be used to replace 'travail'?

The meanings of toil and travail largely overlap; however, toil implies prolonged and fatiguing labor. // his lot would be years of back-breaking toil

Q: When might 'work' be a better fit than 'travail'?

The words work and travail are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, work may imply activity of body, of mind, of a machine, or of a natural force. // too tired to do any work

travail 1 of 2

noun

trə-ˈvāl

Definition of travail next

as in distress

a state of great suffering of body or mind no greater travail than that of parents who have suffered the death of a child

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in labor

very hard or unpleasant work these villagers now have decent housing, so our travail has not been in vain

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in childbirth

the act or process of giving birth to children a midwife assisted her throughout her long travail

Synonyms & Similar Words

travail

2 of 2

verb

trə-ˈvāl

as in to labor

to devote serious and sustained effort Labor Day is the day on which we recognize those men and women who daily travail with little appreciation or compensation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun travail contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of travail are drudgery, grind, labor, toil, and work. While all these words mean "activity involving effort or exertion," travail is bookish for labor involving pain or suffering.

years of travail were lost when the house burned

In what contexts can drudgery take the place of travail?

The words drudgery and travail can be used in similar contexts, but drudgery suggests dull and irksome labor.

an editorial job with a good deal of drudgery

When would grind be a good substitute for travail?

Although the words grind and travail have much in common, grind implies labor exhausting to mind or body.

the grind of the assembly line

When is it sensible to use labor instead of travail?

While in some cases nearly identical to travail, labor applies to physical or intellectual work involving great and often strenuous exertion.

farmers demanding fair compensation for their labor

When could toil be used to replace travail?

The meanings of toil and travail largely overlap; however, toil implies prolonged and fatiguing labor.

his lot would be years of back-breaking toil

When might work be a better fit than travail?

The words work and travail are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, work may imply activity of body, of mind, of a machine, or of a natural force.

too tired to do any work

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of travail

Noun

For all of its financial success, Pump.Fun has suffered its share of travails, arising mostly from an apparent operational immaturity. —

Joel Khalili, WIRED, 15 Jan. 2025 Despite their coach’s personal travails, the Gators win by an average of 23.9 points, tied with Tennessee for second nationally behind Maryland (26.1), and attacks from all angles. —

Edgar Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 3 Jan. 2025

Verb

Clap back:DeSantis criticizes 'daily drama' of Trump's leadership style, ratcheting up growing tensions Trump travails:Is Donald Trump being arrested? —

David Jackson, USA TODAY, 23 Mar. 2023 See all Example Sentences for travail

Recent Examples of Synonyms for travail

Noun

Relli — a former member of hip-hop collective A$AP Mob — filed a civil suit for assault, battery and emotional distress against Rocky on Aug. 10, 2022.

— Brenton Blanchet, People.com, 25 Jan. 2025
Removing First Amendment violations, conspiracy, deceit, false light and retaliation leaves the new complaint with allegations of defamation per se by libel and slander, intentional infliction of emotional distress and defamation per quad by libel.

— Isha Trivedi, The Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2025