labored 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of laborednext
as in manufactured

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labored

2 of 2

verb

past tense of labor
as in struggled
to devote serious and sustained effort the young lawyer labored most of the weekend over the difficult legal brief

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of labored
Adjective
No, what’s stuck in my head is Morocco’s Round of 32 victory over the Netherlands on the very last, labored breath of the match. — Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 6 July 2026 The recording of the voice-over was in a sense more of a labored experience than the filming. — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 30 June 2026
Verb
Wrobleski labored his previous two starts, giving up 12 runs and eight homers in 10 1/3 innings. — CBS News, 9 Aug. 2026 With little formal education, Mulholland had left his native Ireland in his teens, worked steamer ships on the Great Lakes, labored in lumber camps and prospected for gold. — Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for labored
Recent Examples of Synonyms for labored
  1. manufactured
  2. struggled
  3. strained
  4. worked
  5. contrived
  6. endeavored
  7. automatic
  8. toiled
Adjective
  • Helen Keller—or her manufactured image, at least—tended to be shining and sweet and noncontroversial.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The company also uses technology to move brands away from what Anderson calls manufactured moments, the single day a year set aside for a cause before the conversation disappears again.
    — Afdhel Aziz, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of manufactured
Verb
  • The 23-year-old struggled in the defeat to Argentina before adding his seventh of the tournament against France in the third-place play-off.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • His 81-year-old partner has struggled without Vela Gonzalez, her primary caretaker.
    — Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of struggled
Adjective
  • Gasper, who turns 31 next month, played for a month in the tense environment of the Dominican Winter League, then was summoned by Team Italy for the World Baseball Classic after former Red Sox catcher Kyle Teel suffered a strained right hamstring.
    — Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Fielder said the relationship grew strained as Evans tried to exert greater control over the project.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of strained
Verb
  • This is a big jump for Fleury, who has never before worked as an offensive coordinator at any level of football, and most recently was the 49ers' tight ends coach for the past four seasons.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 10 Sep. 2026
  • To many in the LGBTQ+ community, the notion of unconditional love might as well be a fairy tale; meaningful relationships must be worked for, maintained, and protected—and as such, are rarely taken for granted.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of worked
Adjective
  • An eventual big twist feels too trickily over-contrived to impress, or convince.
    — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026
  • There was nothing particularly novel about the show’s premise, but the scripts were refreshingly dense with jokes, prioritizing laughs over contrived drama or seasonlong relationship arcs.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of contrived
Verb
  • Though eventually abandoned due to cost, this system of surveillance endeavored to equate producers with virtue.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Whatever people think of the film, it was endeavored to be made with purely with the process at its heart.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of endeavored
Adjective
  • While most of the vandals ripping down automatic license plate readers prefer to go incognito, an Albuquerque character named Jevon Martinez isn’t afraid to show his face.
    — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Shohei Ohtani struck out four consecutive times for the first time this season, including in the 10th with an automatic runner at third.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of automatic
Verb
  • While Vonnegut toiled in a malt syrup factory, several other prisoners were assigned to labor details clearing out the rubble left behind from the bombings.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Senior tight end Ryan Wynn may have toiled in the shadows a year ago during Oswego’s surprising run to the Class 8A state championship game but his impact didn’t go unnoticed.
    — Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of toiled

Browse Nearby Words

labor camps
labored
laborer
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Cite this Entry

“Labored.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/labored. Accessed 11 Sep. 2026.

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