: produced or performed with labor
labored breathing
also
: lacking ease of expression
a labored speech
Examples of labored in a Sentence
The patient's symptoms included a rapid pulse and labored breathing.
The movie's dialogue seems very labored.
Recent Examples on the Web
By avoiding the labored meta-commentary of the last two sequels, Scream 7 actually feels more like a Scream movie.
—
James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 26 Feb. 2026
Red blood cells are prevented from carrying oxygen, which causes labored breathing.
—Lucia Cheng, Des Moines Register, 24 Feb. 2026
As Logan’s breathing grew more labored, doctors secured his airway and placed him on a ventilator before transferring him by helicopter to Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte.
—Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 19 Feb. 2026
Built by award-winning creatives and filmmakers, the studio serves as a radical act of love — honoring the elders who dreamed, labored, loved, and survived so future generations can claim their inheritance.
—Time Pr, Time, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for labored
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James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 26 Feb. 2026
Red blood cells are prevented from carrying oxygen, which causes labored breathing.
—Lucia Cheng, Des Moines Register, 24 Feb. 2026
As Logan’s breathing grew more labored, doctors secured his airway and placed him on a ventilator before transferring him by helicopter to Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte.
—Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 19 Feb. 2026
Built by award-winning creatives and filmmakers, the studio serves as a radical act of love — honoring the elders who dreamed, labored, loved, and survived so future generations can claim their inheritance.
—Time Pr, Time, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for labored
Cite this Entry
“Labored.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/labored. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
labored
adjective
la·bored
ˈlā-bərd 
: produced or performed with difficulty or strain
labored breathing
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