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
The recording of the voice-over was in a sense more of a labored experience than the filming. — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 30 June 2026 Squandered assets and unexpected free-agent departures turned it into a source of frustration and boredom for fans, who watched labored breakouts, poor puck management and ugly games pile up. — Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 28 June 2026
Verb
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 Tidwell labored through the first inning, allowing two runs and throwing 32 pitches. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 5 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
  • The twister shoved a porch several feet from its manufactured home, according to the report.
    — Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 11 July 2026
  • Its role is to expose wrongdoing, illuminate facts, and draw the world’s attention to crimes committed in the name of false causes and manufactured justifications.
    — Andy J. Semotiuk, Forbes.com, 21 June 2026
Definition of manufactured
Verb
  • Kyrgios underwent a full wrist reconstruction in September 2023, after suffering a full rupture of a key ligament that stabilizes the joint, and has struggled to generate any kind of momentum since.
    — James Hansen, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Firefighters struggled to reach people trapped on the upper floors as thick smoke engulfed the building, a police officer told the news agency.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of struggled
Adjective
  • That could present a challenge for Americans, who already report feeling financially strained amid elevated inflation.
    — Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Vogel and Panettiere had a strained relationship before the actress’ death.
    — Daysia Tolentino, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of strained
Verb
  • Sen has experience in finance and economic analysis, having worked as an investment manager and previously serving as a columnist for Bloomberg Opinion.
    — Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • That is, again, different from last year; Glenn knew Wilks but had never worked with him before.
    — Jonathan Jones, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of worked
Adjective
  • More problematic is Helaena’s suicide, which feels more contrived here.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Creighton jokes, explaining that making the film accessible to people is far more interesting to her than some sort of contrived celebrity impact campaign.
    — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of contrived
Verb
  • 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
  • Italy’s defense ministry transferred ownership to the town of Affi in 2018, and in 2022 the University of Florence endeavored on a study to map the bunker’s expansive reach.
    — Andy Battaglia, ARTnews.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of endeavored
Adjective
  • The new safeguards include requiring law enforcement to label every search with a with a criminal case number, and instituting an automatic review for abnormal search activities, which will trigger proactive lockouts for those users.
    — Soo Youn, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The Institute for Justice, a nonprofit law firm specializing in civil liberties cases, identified over 100 incidents of automatic license plate reader abuse, including stalking and wrongful stops.
    — Charlie De Mar, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of automatic
Verb
  • And there were plenty of heroic acts by thousands of health care workers who toiled tirelessly, risking their own lives to care for those who had fallen ill during the pandemic.
    — Steve Brozak, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • But as pole-sitter Norris toiled behind Piastri, having lost the lead on Lap 1 of 70 with a big slide at Turn 2, his view was squarely on the rear of the sister McLaren while keeping an eye on Max Verstappen’s Red Bull in his mirrors.
    — Luke Smith, New York Times, 27 July 2026
Definition of toiled

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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 20 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of labored for Spanish Speakers

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