painstaking

1 of 2

adjective

pains·​tak·​ing ˈpān-ˌstā-kiŋ 

: taking pains : expending, showing, or involving diligent care and effort

painstaking research

painstaking tasks

painstaking accuracy

painstakingly

ˈpān-ˌstā-kiŋ-lē 

adverb

painstaking

2 of 2

noun

: the action of taking pains : diligent care and effort

… greater painstaking to achieve incidental verisimilitude and accuracy of detail …

—Times Literary Supplement

Synonyms of painstaking

Adjective

• meticulous
• careful
• conscientious
• loving
• diligent

Examples of painstaking in a Sentence

Adjective

The book describes the election process in painstaking detail.

she was always painstaking about her work

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The painstaking restoration of the building, originally constructed in 1912 as a diesel station, has also made a powerful statement about the potential of adaptive reuse. — Stephanie Sporn, Vogue, 8 Nov. 2026

The painstaking process of making the film required the creation of 227 puppets and the shooting of 109,440 frames to bring the story to life. — José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 4 Nov. 2026

But despite its stupendous production values and painstaking details, the game left me feeling oddly bereft. — James Perkins Mastromarino, NPR, 4 Nov. 2026

However, the 16th century relic didn’t open after hours of painstaking trial-and-error. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 4 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1685, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1538, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for painstaking

• awaking
• backbreaking
• bookmaking
• breathtaking
• brickmaking
• caretaking
• dressmaking
• filmmaking
• forsaking
• glassmaking
• groundbreaking
• haymaking

Kids Definition

painstaking

adjective

pains·​tak·​ing

ˈpān-ˌstā-kiŋ

: taking or showing great care and effort

a painstaking search

painstakingly

-kiŋ-lē

adverb