drudgery

Definition of drudgerynext

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun drudgery contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of drudgery are grind, labor, toil, travail, and work. While all these words mean "activity involving effort or exertion," drudgery suggests dull and irksome labor.

an editorial job with a good deal of drudgery

When might grind be a better fit than drudgery?

The synonyms grind and drudgery are sometimes interchangeable, but grind implies labor exhausting to mind or body.

the grind of the assembly line

When is it sensible to use labor instead of drudgery?

While the synonyms labor and drudgery are close in meaning, labor applies to physical or intellectual work involving great and often strenuous exertion.

farmers demanding fair compensation for their labor

Where would toil be a reasonable alternative to drudgery?

Although the words toil and drudgery have much in common, toil implies prolonged and fatiguing labor.

his lot would be years of back-breaking toil

In what contexts can travail take the place of drudgery?

The words travail and drudgery can be used in similar contexts, but travail is bookish for labor involving pain or suffering.

years of travail were lost when the house burned

When would work be a good substitute for drudgery?

In some situations, the words work and drudgery are roughly equivalent. However, work may imply activity of body, of mind, of a machine, or of a natural force.

too tired to do any work

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of drudgery Researcher Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic suggests connecting with others as only humans can do, and unlocking your curiosity, while your agent handles the drudgery. Nigel Melville, The Conversation, 6 May 2026 In 2006, Lamont, fueled by his personal fortune and some savvy political advisers, visited local Democratic party committees and immersed himself in the drudgery of running a statewide campaign. Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 11 Apr. 2026 Your 5th House of Euphoria welcomes in the flighty Moon, which makes this a time for fun experimentation rather than tedious drudgery. Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2026 Best Fragrance-Free Laundry Detergent Sheet Take the drudgery out of a daily chore with this convenient and safely designed laundry sheet. Pamela Brill, Parents, 7 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for drudgery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drudgery
Noun
  • Andres Chait, is facing labor deals that will strain future finances.
    Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 22 June 2026
  • The spokesperson noted that labor inspections of working conditions have increased and encouraged houses to remain vigilant and fully compliant with regulations.
    Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 22 June 2026
Noun
  • A bit of a surprise here, as the Warriors were reportedly shopping the 11th pick in an effort to bolster their roster with a win-now player.
    Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 24 June 2026
  • The search stems from a years-long effort by authorities to revisit information connected to Mansfield, whose family lived on Centerwood Avenue in Hernando County.
    Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 24 June 2026
Noun
  • This could lead to new deliveries for shareholders and customers once your team is freed from toil.
    Mark Hull, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
  • Pure white cloth, born in the murderous toil of slavery, formed in debilitating factory conditions, and finished through the agony of Sicilian children, was bleached in more ways than one.
    Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 15 June 2026
Noun
  • The South cried hypocrisy on slavery, given that the seamen of Providence, Rhode Island, played a central role in the Atlantic slave trade.
    James Traub, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026
  • Consider the removal of exhibit panels on slavery from Independence Hall itself, the very building where the Declaration of Independence was signed.
    Otis Moss III, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2026
Noun
  • Because there is so much moisture in the air, your sweat will not evaporate fast enough to naturally cool your body.
    Ahmad Bajjey, CBS News, 27 June 2026
  • By the end of the movie, even something as natural as daylight has become suffused with a heavenly glow, and the beads of sweat on a dying body sparkle with a beauty that Emily had never been able to find anywhere else in her tragedy of a life.
    David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 26 June 2026
Noun
  • What is the return for the employee, e.g. less drudge work, faster decisions, more time for higher-value tasks?
    Stephen Wunker, Forbes.com, 22 Mar. 2026
  • Although free labor can help a candidate win, volunteers are also seen as a source of risk, best restricted to such drudge work as phone banking or door knocking.
    Charles Duhigg, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • But Zelenskyy’s decision to name a military unit after the UPA drew fury from Warsaw, which had already shown signs of war fatigue over the influx of refugees and economic drain of supporting Ukraine’s fight.
    Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 27 June 2026
  • Patients most often notice symptoms like swelling and fatigue, as Williams did.
    Kerry Breen, CBS News, 27 June 2026
Noun
  • In this week’s issue, the staff writer Paige Williams goes inside the booming repo industry, riding along with Matthew Pitman, a longtime repo man whose popular YouTube channel, RepoNut, chronicles the daily grind of repoing.
    Austin Elias-de Jesus, New Yorker, 22 June 2026
  • Mired in one of the worst slumps of his big-league career, Swanson is going through the day-to-day grind trying to get going offensively.
    Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Drudgery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drudgery. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.

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