pains·tak·ing
ˈpān-ˌstā-kiŋ 
: taking pains : expending, showing, or involving diligent care and effort
painstaking research
painstaking tasks
painstaking accuracy
: the action of taking pains : diligent care and effort
… greater painstaking to achieve incidental verisimilitude and accuracy of detail …—
Times Literary Supplement
Times Literary SupplementExamples of painstaking in a Sentence
Adjective
The book describes the election process in painstaking detail.
she was always painstaking about her work
Recent Examples on the Web
Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 23 June 2026
Especially impressive is this newly reborn five-star hotel, which has been lovingly restored to its Belle Epoque glory over a painstaking two-year process.
—Todd Plummer, Robb Report, 19 June 2026
The future of robotics hinges on this painstaking, physical data collection.
—Robert J. Szczerba, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
Photo by Steve Campbell/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images The Jets have flirted with immortality since, advancing to -- and losing in painstaking fashion -- the AFC championship game at the conclusion of the 1982, 1998, 2010 and 2011 seasons.
—Jeff Capellini, CBS News, 18 June 2026
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Adjective
Rather than requiring a painstaking assemblage of clips of five or ten seconds long, as most tools offer, OpenArt’s Director allows users to put together a film as long as five minutes.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 23 June 2026
Especially impressive is this newly reborn five-star hotel, which has been lovingly restored to its Belle Epoque glory over a painstaking two-year process.
—Todd Plummer, Robb Report, 19 June 2026
The future of robotics hinges on this painstaking, physical data collection.
—Robert J. Szczerba, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
Photo by Steve Campbell/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images The Jets have flirted with immortality since, advancing to -- and losing in painstaking fashion -- the AFC championship game at the conclusion of the 1982, 1998, 2010 and 2011 seasons.
—Jeff Capellini, CBS News, 18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for painstaking
Cite this Entry
“Painstaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/painstaking. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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