as in struggling
to devote serious and sustained effort
the young lawyer labored most of the weekend over the difficult legal brief
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Recent Examples of laboring
For the rest of us, the construction kickoff means delay upon delay as streets, avenues and roads are awash with heavy equipment and construction workers laboring with jackhammers, picks and shovels.
—
Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026
Trump poses as a pro-worker force, but his policies are atrocious for the laboring class.
—Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
Put differently, eliminating tax on overtime reduces the number of hours each day that hourly workers are laboring not for themselves or their families but for the government.
—Stephen Moore, Boston Herald, 10 Apr. 2026
The difference early was that Keller was throwing strikes at an astonishing rate and quickly working through his innings, while King was laboring.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
Alongside the currently missing McDaniels and Edwards, Naz Reid is clearly laboring.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 6 Apr. 2026
That took hundreds of people within Apple laboring over technical details like the screen’s lamination and moisture rejection, according to a former Apple engineering leader.
—Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 1 Apr. 2026
Alamo Colleges adopted a Chavez holiday in July 2023, as two board members recalled their fathers once laboring as farmworkers.
—Scott Huddleston, San Antonio Express-News, 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
Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026
Trump poses as a pro-worker force, but his policies are atrocious for the laboring class.
—Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
Put differently, eliminating tax on overtime reduces the number of hours each day that hourly workers are laboring not for themselves or their families but for the government.
—Stephen Moore, Boston Herald, 10 Apr. 2026
The difference early was that Keller was throwing strikes at an astonishing rate and quickly working through his innings, while King was laboring.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
Alongside the currently missing McDaniels and Edwards, Naz Reid is clearly laboring.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 6 Apr. 2026
That took hundreds of people within Apple laboring over technical details like the screen’s lamination and moisture rejection, according to a former Apple engineering leader.
—Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 1 Apr. 2026
Alamo Colleges adopted a Chavez holiday in July 2023, as two board members recalled their fathers once laboring as farmworkers.
—Scott Huddleston, San Antonio Express-News, 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for laboring
Verb
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As the city morphs into a luxury tourist destination, struggling small businesses are pushing to retain the character that drew many tourists in the first place.—
Laura Millan,
Bloomberg,
27 Apr. 2026
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If your friend is lonely or struggling to establish her identity without her sister living in the house, time with friends and time intentionally getting to know herself will be more productive.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Boring dad; feisty mom; rich do-gooder; striving newcomer; MAGA one; MAGA two.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
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Seasoned party-planners say that striving to create meaningful interactions instead of for perfection alleviates some of the stress of hosting.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The National Conflict Resolution Center has hosted this event for 38 years now, to recognize individuals and organizations working with passion and purpose toward a better future for all Americans.—
Steven P. Dinkin,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
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Clear, kind boundaries keep things working.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Maryland’s Republican leaders would do well to listen to Bouchat and to follow his example rather than endeavoring to expel him from office for doing little more than stating the obvious.—
Chris Roemer,
Baltimore Sun,
9 Apr. 2026
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Don’t fear asking your stylist for help Hair textures and styles do run the gamut, and endeavoring to find extensions to match your own might feel like a fool’s errand.—
Hunter Lacey,
Allure,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But even while toiling away at their laptops, professionals can take one short step to return to their center.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
29 Mar. 2026
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Medieval monks toiling away at poetic meditations on the divine have their place, the authors allow, but their own arguments are meant to surpass mere abstract justifications for belief.—
Elizabeth Bruenig,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Laboring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laboring. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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