1
as in job
a dull, unpleasant, or difficult piece of work
one of the labors of Hercules in classical mythology was to clean out the stables of King Augeas
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in effort
the active use of energy in producing a result
a superhuman amount of labor must have gone into designing and building the pyramids of Egypt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in toil
very hard or unpleasant work
a political dissident forced to do six months of hard labor in the salt mines as punishment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in childbirth
the act or process of giving birth to children
the mother's labor lasted for six hours
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in production
something produced by physical or intellectual effort
a small, personal film that was clearly a labor of love for the director and actors
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to struggle
to devote serious and sustained effort
the young lawyer labored most of the weekend over the difficult legal brief
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of labor
Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2025
This includes parts like engines and axles, raw materials and labor costs.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 7 Oct. 2025
Christopher Claxton, Billboard, 19 Sep. 2025
At Villa Park, his frailty was epic, defiant, even as his bandmates labored drastically to summon the power of 50 years earlier.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for labor
Noun
The system didn’t want their labor, and to make the best of it, many took the time to read giant works.
—Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2025
This includes parts like engines and axles, raw materials and labor costs.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
With The Fulfillment, the sub-context is how clout culture is a currency, how attention itself has become a currency, just like our laboring bodies are.
—Christopher Claxton, Billboard, 19 Sep. 2025
At Villa Park, his frailty was epic, defiant, even as his bandmates labored drastically to summon the power of 50 years earlier.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for labor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for labor
Noun
-
The rankings were determined by various factors such as crime rates, public schools, cost of living, job opportunities, health statistics and local amenities, including access to bars and restaurants, according to Niche.—
Bebe Hodges,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Some employers like Google, Microsoft, and EY have all offered high-level jobs to applicants without degrees, focusing on work experience and special credentialing.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In a phone call with the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette shortly after the petition was filed, Richardson mostly declined to comment on his own health and the recall effort.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Gainwell could have forced the Steelers to give him more of the share, especially in an effort to keep Jaylen Warren healthy.—
Jake Ciely,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Chelsea toil at Twente Sonia Bompastor’s post-match entreaty to Chelsea at Twente concerned desire — specifically the need for her side to find more of it following their 1-1 draw.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Erginoglu planted over 11,000 trees along with installing water pipes - the completion of an incredible 30 years of dedication and hard toil.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Services covered by emergency Medicaid are lifesaving procedures, including childbirth labor and delivery, the authors wrote.—
Nicole Acevedo,
NBC news,
9 Oct. 2025
-
It is well documented that maternal mental health is the primary complication associated with childbirth and one of the leading causes of maternal mortality in the United States.—
Catherine Birndorf,
Scientific American,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
This does not reflect well on their development, considering how desperate the Bruins are for production.—
Fluto Shinzawa,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Affleck and Matt Damon's Artist Equity production company co-produced the movie.—
Lori A Bashian,
FOXNews.com,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The arrival of Clark and other high-profile young players have contributed to a boom in popularity for the long-struggling league.—
Kevin Dotson,
CNN Money,
4 Oct. 2025
-
The Broncos are 2-2 and coming off a dominating 28-3 victory over the struggling Cincinnati Bengals.—
Hunter Simpson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
On a 50% discount right now, the TP-Link Archer AXE75 upgrades your home Wi-Fi without the setup headache.—
Jade Chung-Lee,
PC Magazine,
8 Oct. 2025
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Soon, Disley learned that Chewy was in the nurse's office frequently — sometimes three times a day — due to headaches and stomachaches.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
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And now more employees are finding that talking about it at work can be, too.—
Laura Trujillo,
USA Today,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Composure personified, underpinned by tremendous work rate.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Labor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/labor. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
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