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 is part of an unusual public science project. — ABC News, 22 July 2026

The process of restoring the murals consists of the painstaking removal of up to 12 layers of white paint, followed by conservation of the art. — Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 21 July 2026

The engineering shop teamed up with KRT Framework for the aluminum bodywork, which came together over 800 hours of painstaking shaping and sculpting by hand. — New Atlas, 19 July 2026

Since 2024, a new system of permits has designated four categories of mudlark, a satisfyingly ornate regime for what is, at heart, a deeply painstaking activity. — Sam Knight, New Yorker, 17 July 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