travail

1 of 2

noun

tra·​vail trə-ˈvāl 

ˈtra-ˌvāl

1

a

: work especially of a painful or laborious nature : toil

b

: a physical or mental exertion or piece of work : task, effort

c

: agony, torment

2

: labor, childbirth

travail

2 of 2

verb

tra·​vail trə-ˈvāl 

ˈtra-ˌvāl;

 in prayer-​book communion service usually  ˈtra-ˌvāl

travailed; travailing; travails

intransitive verb

1

: to labor hard : toil

2

: labor sense 4

Did you know?

Etymologists are pretty certain that travail comes from trepalium, the Late Latin name of an instrument of torture. We don't know exactly what a trepalium looked like, but the word's history gives us an idea. Trepalium is derived from the Latin tripalis, which means "having three stakes" (from tri-, meaning "three," and palus, meaning "stake"). From trepalium sprang the Anglo-French verb travailler, which originally meant "to torment" but eventually acquired the milder senses "to trouble" and "to journey." The Anglo-French noun travail was borrowed into English in the 13th century, along with another descendant of travailler, travel.

Synonyms

Noun

• affliction
• agony
• anguish
• distress
• excruciation
• hurt
• misery
• pain
• rack
• strait(s)
• torment
• torture
• tribulation
• woe

Verb

• bang away
• beaver (away)
• dig (away)
• drudge
• endeavor
• fag
• grub
• hump
• hustle
• labor
• moil
• peg (away)
• plod
• plow
• plug
• slave
• slog
• strain
• strive
• struggle
• sweat
• toil
• tug
• work

Choose the Right Synonym for travail

work, labor, travail, toil, drudgery, grind mean activity involving effort or exertion.

work may imply activity of body, of mind, of a machine, or of a natural force.

too tired to do any work

labor applies to physical or intellectual work involving great and often strenuous exertion.

farmers demanding fair compensation for their labor

travail is bookish for labor involving pain or suffering.

years of travail were lost when the house burned

toil implies prolonged and fatiguing labor.

his lot would be years of back-breaking toil

drudgery suggests dull and irksome labor.

an editorial job with a good deal of drudgery

grind implies labor exhausting to mind or body.

the grind of the assembly line

Examples of travail in a Sentence

Noun

They finally succeeded after many months of travail.

no greater travail than that of parents who have suffered the death of a child

Verb

Labor Day is the day on which we recognize those men and women who daily travail with little appreciation or compensation.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

But longtime allies who had stood by him through his earlier travails concluded that this case was different and cut their ties to him. —Tracey Tully, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2024

The omnipresence of Trump’s legal travails and his dominance in the Republican presidential primary ensure his shadow over the 2024 election will remain through November, and only increase Rep. Adam B. Schiff ‘s already heady chances of becoming California’s newest U.S. senator. —Benjamin Oreskes, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2024

Two decades of war in the Middle East combined with domestic travails have sapped American public support for foreign engagements. —Max Bergmann, Foreign Affairs, 6 Mar. 2024

Thoma Bravo and Vista are frequent rivals in deals but Smith’s travails in 2021 benefited Bravo, a second LP said. —Luisa Beltran, Fortune, 28 Feb. 2024

But amid so many challenges and travails throughout the years, the Warriors now have to lean on their culture of joy, positivity, and camaraderie more than ever. —Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 17 Jan. 2024

The multibillion-dollar write-down marked the beginning of Mr. Lynch’s legal travails, which will culminate this month in another long and complex trial. —Michael J. De La Merced, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2024

Sometimes the ruse exploits kindness: the mark is moved to generosity on hearing of the prince’s travails. —Patrick Radden Keefe, The New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2024

But that wouldn’t explain the travails of Germany‘s Olaf Scholz. —David Lauter, Los Angeles Times, 15 Dec. 2023

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

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from travailler to torment, labor, journey, from Vulgar Latin *trepaliare to torture, from Late Latin trepalium instrument of torture, from Latin tripalis having three stakes, from tri- + palus stake — more at pole

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Kids Definition

travail

noun

tra·​vail

trə-ˈvā(ə)l,

ˈtrav-ˌāl

1

: work especially of a painful or difficult nature : toil

2

: agony sense 1, torment

travail verb

Etymology

Noun

Middle English travail "hard labor," from early French travail (same meaning), from travailler (verb) "to torment, labor" — related to travel see Word History at travel

Medical Definition

travail

noun

tra·​vail trə-ˈvā(ə)l  ˈtrav-ˌāl 

: labor, childbirth