laborious
adjective
la·bo·ri·ous
lə-ˈbȯr-ē-əs 
1
a
: involving, requiring, or characterized by hard and sustained effort : arduous
Overland travel was not an adventurous communal leap, but a laborious, individual trek.—
Daniel J. Boorstin
Daniel J. BoorstinMaking a telescope mirror is a long and laborious process.—David Devoss and Eric Sander
David Devoss and Eric Sander
b
: characterized by long, detailed elaboration : tedious
Much of the middle of the book is a laborious account of the scouring of the ocean floor that led to the discovery of the Titanic.—The Economist
The Economist2
: devoted to labor : industrious
We have the greatest riches, the greatest fertility, … the most laborious population.—Joseph Conrad
Joseph Conrad
laboriously
adverb
laboriousness
noun
Examples of laborious in a Sentence
a slow and laborious process
the volunteers have been commendably laborious in their cleanup of the beach
Recent Examples on the Web
Already, three in 10 advertisers are using Gen AI creative tools to tick off laborious tasks, like automatically adjusting images, copy and layouts for different ad placements in seconds.
—Derya Matras, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2025
These crews will look up to robotic companions like Charlotte to automate and ease the laborious construction work required for a permanent Moon base.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 29 Sep. 2025
The medium of weaving — ancient, laborious — feels apt for Riley’s investigative project.
—Jerry Saltz, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2025
Growing vanilla bean pods is a laborious process—which means the beans, seeds, and any products made with them (including extracts and ice creams) are understandably pricier than imitation versions.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for laborious
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Derya Matras, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2025
These crews will look up to robotic companions like Charlotte to automate and ease the laborious construction work required for a permanent Moon base.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 29 Sep. 2025
The medium of weaving — ancient, laborious — feels apt for Riley’s investigative project.
—Jerry Saltz, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2025
Growing vanilla bean pods is a laborious process—which means the beans, seeds, and any products made with them (including extracts and ice creams) are understandably pricier than imitation versions.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for laborious
Cite this Entry
“Laborious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/laborious. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
laborious
adjective
la·bo·ri·ous
lə-ˈbōr-ē-əs
-ˈbȯr-
1
: devoted to work : industrious
2
: requiring hard effort
laboriously
adverb
laboriousness
noun
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