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
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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
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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
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4
as in childbirth
the act or process of giving birth to children
the mother's labor lasted for six hours
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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
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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
Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 6 Apr. 2026
The expansion of the contract term from three to four years represents a potentially risky move for the labor group given the rapid changes — consolidation, cost-cutting and the use of generative AI among them — currently roiling Hollywood.
—Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 6 Apr. 2026
Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 20 Mar. 2026
With Anthony Edwards laboring because of a sore right knee, Randle and Ayo Dosunmu stepped in to pick up the scoring slack.
—Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for labor
Noun
The Teamsters still claim that UPS never had the contractual right to offer driver buyouts, with the labor group and more than 30 of its local branches filing grievances after the program’s announcement.
—Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 6 Apr. 2026
The expansion of the contract term from three to four years represents a potentially risky move for the labor group given the rapid changes — consolidation, cost-cutting and the use of generative AI among them — currently roiling Hollywood.
—Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 6 Apr. 2026
Verb
Houston led the Hornets in tackles in 2024 and labored through injuries last season.
—Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 20 Mar. 2026
With Anthony Edwards laboring because of a sore right knee, Randle and Ayo Dosunmu stepped in to pick up the scoring slack.
—Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for labor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for labor
Noun
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Just as important, these shows let art fans size up the job curators are doing on their behalf.—
Ray Mark Rinaldi,
Denver Post,
6 Apr. 2026
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State officials have a chance to signal that California is serious about keeping job creators here, not driving them out.—
Tom Manzo,
Oc Register,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Castle Rock offered grants to support efforts to commemorate the 150th anniversary.—
Olivia Young,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
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Each product is designed to work synergistically, delivering visible results with minimal effort, no guesswork involved.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Though the system managed only a dim glow, Lorna was still grateful for the flick of a switch rather than the toil of refilling oil lamps and trimming candles.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Mar. 2026
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There has to be a chance that Jos Buttler’s toils in Sri Lanka and India represent his last ventures on the international stage, and therefore the end of an era.—
Paul Newman,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
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For example, postpartum hair shedding often starts around three to five months post-childbirth, and resolves on its own within three to six months.—
Rebecca Strong,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
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The paramedic suddenly had to balance the urgency of a wartime emergency with the delicate, critical first steps of childbirth.—
Eric Mack,
FOXNews.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Both assist with the production of collagen and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Apr. 2026
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That’s impressive production for the 6-foot-2, 234-pound defender.—
Mike Kaye
April 6,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Predator ranks growing California is struggling to manage the behavior of other predators whose ranks are growing thanks to the state’s conservation programs and endangered species protections.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
8 Apr. 2026
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His campaign goals included reinstating and expanding bus services, attracting additional low-income housing options through federal and state grants, and increasing resource distribution by the city to homeless residents and those struggling with addiction.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Matterhorn Fit treats ailments that affect the neck, back and pelvis, which include sciatica, herniated discs, spinal stenosis, piriformis syndrome, thoracic pain, cervical pain, sports hernia recovery and cervicogenic headache.—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
5 Apr. 2026
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Symptoms generally appear within one or two weeks of infection, and can include fever, headache, rash and body aches.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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While Protect Wyoming is necessarily focused within the state and on state politics, rather than federal candidates, its work stands to influence nonresidents who hunt, fish, and recreate in the state.—
Natalie Krebs,
Outdoor Life,
3 Apr. 2026
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For commuters like Sirena Lopez, who drives two hours each way for work, the impact is immediate.—
Richard Ramos,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Labor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/labor. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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