laborious
adjective
la·bo·ri·ous
lə-ˈbȯr-ē-əs 
1
a
: involving, requiring, or characterized by hard and sustained effort : arduous
Overland travel was not an adventurous communal leap, but a laborious, individual trek.—
Daniel J. Boorstin
Daniel J. BoorstinMaking a telescope mirror is a long and laborious process.—David Devoss and Eric Sander
David Devoss and Eric Sander
b
: characterized by long, detailed elaboration : tedious
Much of the middle of the book is a laborious account of the scouring of the ocean floor that led to the discovery of the Titanic.—The Economist
The Economist2
: devoted to labor : industrious
We have the greatest riches, the greatest fertility, … the most laborious population.—Joseph Conrad
Joseph Conrad
laboriously
adverb
laboriousness
noun
Examples of laborious in a Sentence
a slow and laborious process
the volunteers have been commendably laborious in their cleanup of the beach
Recent Examples on the Web
Its high cost is due to a combination of huge demand and shrinking stocks, coupled with a laborious extraction process.
—Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025
The questionnaires are a way to weed out people with conflicts and also to provide a head start in picking a jury, which can be a laborious but vitally important part of the trial.
—John Diedrich, jsonline.com, 6 Nov. 2025
Cleaning a large rug can be laborious, but this DIY project is typically doable for homeowners without calling in the professionals.
—Jennifer Beck Goldblatt, Architectural Digest, 31 Oct. 2025
In a dining culture shaped by efficiency and the chase for Instagram-ability, the return to intricate, laborious sauciering feels almost subversive.
—Joel Hart, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for laborious
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Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025
The questionnaires are a way to weed out people with conflicts and also to provide a head start in picking a jury, which can be a laborious but vitally important part of the trial.
—John Diedrich, jsonline.com, 6 Nov. 2025
Cleaning a large rug can be laborious, but this DIY project is typically doable for homeowners without calling in the professionals.
—Jennifer Beck Goldblatt, Architectural Digest, 31 Oct. 2025
In a dining culture shaped by efficiency and the chase for Instagram-ability, the return to intricate, laborious sauciering feels almost subversive.
—Joel Hart, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for laborious
Cite this Entry
“Laborious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/laborious. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
laborious
adjective
la·bo·ri·ous
lə-ˈbōr-ē-əs
-ˈbȯr-
1
: devoted to work : industrious
2
: requiring hard effort
laboriously
adverb
laboriousness
noun
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