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 Recently, in response to trends in moviegoing, Hollywood has become more dependent on tapping into characters or stories that audiences already know, giving bio-pics, particularly ones that require radical, labor-intensive transformations, a kind of prestigious sheen. Hua Hsu, The New Yorker, 27 Nov. 2023 Instead, about 99 percent of the world’s vanilla comes from synthetic sources such as vanillin, a cheaper and less labor-intensive alternative to harvesting vanilla beans or castoreum. Margaret Osborne, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Nov. 2023 Because of the labor-intensive nature of the dish, paella is only served on weekdays with 24-hour advance notice for carryout. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Nov. 2023 Research from Loughborough University found that as temperatures reach 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius), worker productivity, particularly for those employed in labor-intensive or outdoor professions, can decline by 25%. Martine Ferland, Fortune, 15 Nov. 2023 Coil speakers require labor-intensive manufacturing and testing, partly because of inconsistencies from unit to unit. IEEE Spectrum, 14 Nov. 2023 Cannabis is among the nation’s most labor-intensive crops, on par with strawberries. Paige St. John, Los Angeles Times, 13 Nov. 2023 While in Encinitas, the monks will construct a labor-intensive sand mandala at the Seaside Center of Spiritual Living, 1613 Lake Drive. Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Nov. 2023 At Iceland, resurfacing was labor-intensive, involving manual tools like planers, hoses and squeegees. Nick Yetto, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Oct. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'labor-intensive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1928, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of labor-intensive was in 1928

Dictionary Entries Near labor-intensive

Cite this Entry

“Labor-intensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/labor-intensive. Accessed 4 Dec. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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