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

There have been no Rabins in the Israeli opposition, no leaders willing to pivot from their own previous positions, tell the public the truth about what a real peace would require, and invest in the painstaking work of diplomacy. — Dalia Dassa Kaye, Foreign Affairs, 27 Oct. 2026

The painstaking process that goes into making a Laika film offers a distinct counterpoint to the instant progress promised by generative AI tools. — Andrew Webster, The Verge, 22 Oct. 2026

An expedition team led by Steve Schultz from Purdue University and Richard Pettigrew from the Archaeological Legacy Institute on Wednesday began the painstaking search for what could be Earhart's Lockheed Electra 10-E plane. — Lana Zak, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026

For Apple, showing the stitching or the painstaking movements behind a stop-motion film makes the production process part of the advertisement. — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 15 Oct. 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