Thesaurus

labor

Q: How does the noun 'labor' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of labor are drudgery , grind , toil , travail , and work . While all these words mean "activity involving effort or exertion," labor applies to physical or intellectual work involving great and often strenuous exertion. // farmers demanding fair compensation for their labor

Q: Where would 'drudgery' be a reasonable alternative to 'labor'?

The words drudgery and labor can be used in similar contexts, but drudgery suggests dull and irksome labor. // an editorial job with a good deal of drudgery

Q: When is it sensible to use 'grind' instead of 'labor'?

The words grind and labor are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, grind implies labor exhausting to mind or body. // the grind of the assembly line

Q: When might 'toil' be a better fit than 'labor'?

The synonyms toil and labor are sometimes interchangeable, but toil implies prolonged and fatiguing labor. // his lot would be years of back-breaking toil

Q: When could 'travail' be used to replace 'labor'?

While in some cases nearly identical to labor , travail is bookish for labor involving pain or suffering. // years of travail were lost when the house burned

Q: When would 'work' be a good substitute for 'labor'?

Although the words work and labor have much in common, work may imply activity of body, of mind, of a machine, or of a natural force. // too tired to do any work

noun

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Synonyms & Antonyms of labor

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 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 for labor

Words Related to labor

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2 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 for labor

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dint,
energy

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3 very hard or unpleasant work

a political dissident forced to do six months of hard labor in the salt mines as punishment

Synonyms for labor

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spadework

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Antonyms for labor

fun,
play

4 the act or process of giving birth to children

the mother's labor lasted for six hours

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pregnancy

5 something produced by physical or intellectual effort

a small, personal film that was clearly a labor of love for the director and actors

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labor

verb

Synonyms & Antonyms of labor (Entry 2 of 2)

to devote serious and sustained effort

the young lawyer labored most of the weekend over the difficult legal brief

Synonyms for labor

Words Related to labor

attack,
drive

essay,
try

trudge,
wade

Phrases Synonymous with labor

sweat blood

Near Antonyms for labor

Frequently Asked Questions About labor

How does the noun labor contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of labor are drudgery, grind, toil, travail, and work. While all these words mean "activity involving effort or exertion," labor applies to physical or intellectual work involving great and often strenuous exertion.

farmers demanding fair compensation for their labor