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.
Fish care, for instance, was repeatedly cited as being far more delicate and labor-intensive than anticipated. Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 July 2025 Because the 75-ton array proved incredibly labor-intensive and expensive to schlep from show to show, the group retired it in October 1974. Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 3 July 2025 The kitchen is the heart of the home—and often the messiest and most labor-intensive to clean. Lauren Bengtson, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 July 2025 The conversation also touches on AI, with Stall identifying its dual role: reducing production costs for creators and optimizing financial operations—especially in areas like royalty calculations and revenue waterfalls, which are traditionally labor-intensive and prone to disputes. Andrew Wallenstein, Variety, 2 July 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 10 Jul. 2025.

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