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.
That is a huge incentive to hire within the U.S., particularly for high cost, labor-intensive tech startups. Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2025 Not your average labor-intensive enchilada, these miniatures come together in just three steps and 30 minutes. Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 21 Aug. 2025 In detailing their ideas and careers, Engerman tells a riveting story of the debates central to modern development economics: the state versus the market, capital-intensive versus labor-intensive growth, and export orientation versus import substitution. Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2025 The immigrant population across the U.S. has dropped by more than 2 million since the start of the year, triggering warnings that construction and other labor-intensive industries could face worker shortages. Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Aug. 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 27 Aug. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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