labor-intensive

adjective

la·​bor-in·​ten·​sive ˈlā-bər-in-ˌten(t)-siv 

: 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

Both former colonies of Japan, the two came to rely on exports to drive growth – first labor-intensive goods like garments in the 1960s, followed by electronics such as home appliances in the 1970s and ’80s. — John Liu, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2026

The labor-intensive bestselling dish begins by deboning the rib meat that’s then marinated overnight, before it’s cooked sous vide and finally grilled. — Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026

That leisurely, labor-intensive scenario is often not possible. — Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 18 Aug. 2026

Data centers are enormously capital-intensive and modestly labor-intensive, which is precisely the combination that produces strong output growth and flat payrolls. — Jason Kirsch, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1928, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for labor-intensive

• counteroffensive
• antihypertensive
• apprehensive
• coextensive
• comprehensive
• hypertensive
• hypotensive
• inexpensive
• inoffensive
• normotensive
• defensive
• expensive