: 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
This is where Hathaway’s performance comes to life, her body possessed into a symphony of slamming bones and labored breathing that give physical dimension to the power of creative force.
—
David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 14 Apr. 2026
Lugo pitched five innings but labored.
—Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2026
As a beautiful, palpably anxious bride, Camila Morrone’s Rachel, walks down the aisle to her adoring groom, Nicky (Adam DiMarco), the sound of labored breathing nearly drowns out the music.
—Judy Berman, Time, 26 Mar. 2026
Initially intriguing, the jumbled chronology eventually proves to be largely decorative until a disappointing late-reel twist explains why the labored device was deployed in the first place.
—Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for labored
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David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 14 Apr. 2026
Lugo pitched five innings but labored.
—Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2026
As a beautiful, palpably anxious bride, Camila Morrone’s Rachel, walks down the aisle to her adoring groom, Nicky (Adam DiMarco), the sound of labored breathing nearly drowns out the music.
—Judy Berman, Time, 26 Mar. 2026
Initially intriguing, the jumbled chronology eventually proves to be largely decorative until a disappointing late-reel twist explains why the labored device was deployed in the first place.
—Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 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 22 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
labored
adjective
la·bored
ˈlā-bərd 
: produced or performed with difficulty or strain
labored breathing
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