labor-intensive

adjective

la·​bor-in·​ten·​sive ˈlā-bər-in-ˌten(t)-siv How to pronounce labor-intensive (audio)
: having high labor costs per unit of output
especially : requiring greater expenditure on labor than in capital

Examples of labor-intensive in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The chair also called for a pause on minimum wage hikes, noting that garments remain a labor-intensive sector employing 600,000 to 800,000 workers. Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 22 Sep. 2025 To help remedy the problem, state officials are looking to coax trade workers out of retirement or entice aging employees with labor-intensive jobs to take on the less physically taxing career of instructor at Colorado’s trade schools. Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 19 Sep. 2025 The Urchin designs incorporate paillonné enamel — crafted using a labor-intensive technique from the 19th century — to evoke the sea creature’s iridescent textures with a luminous and layered surface. Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2025 These labor-intensive services face cost pressure because workers’ overall compensation rises faster than the rate of inflation, while service delivery does not become more efficient. Marc Joffe, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for labor-intensive

Word History

First Known Use

1928, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of labor-intensive was in 1928

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Cite this Entry

“Labor-intensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/labor-intensive. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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