LABORIOUS Synonyms: 172 Similar and Opposite Words

laborious

adjective

lə-ˈbȯr-ē-əs

Definition of laborious

as in diligent

involved in often constant activity the volunteers have been commendably laborious in their cleanup of the beach

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in difficult

requiring considerable physical or mental effort the laborious task of cleaning up the oil spill

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in challenging

requiring much time, effort, or careful attention that report is the product of months of laborious research

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 laborious Ethan Pecko overcame a laborious first inning to earn his first big league win. — ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026 Here, Bodini was pining for neither a laborious undertaking nor a museum-like showplace. — David Foxley, Architectural Digest, 27 Aug. 2026 No small feat for such a tiny (and notoriously laborious to dice) herb. — Beth Rankin, Denver Post, 25 Aug. 2026 From a hot dog topped with Flamin’ Hot Cheetos to juicy birria tacos, Idaho Statesman reporter Shaun Goodwin went through the laborious task of sampling each new item and ranking them. — Idaho Statesman, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for laborious

Recent Examples of Synonyms for laborious

Adjective

Meanwhile, overtime can lead to fatigue for workers who are spending 10 to 12 hours on their feet, carrying heavy objects while also needing to remain diligent about their own safety.

— Janay Kingsberry, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2026
Indeed, by the third act, a diligent archival documentary becomes humanist lightning in a bottle, illuminating the similarities between the ’90s and now.

— Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of diligent

Adjective

Being undefeated after a trio of difficult opening matches can only be seen as a positive, even if Newcastle’s obvious shortcomings require addressing if that run is to be prolonged.

— Chris Waugh, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Engineers need flight data on propulsion, aerodynamics, thermal management, guidance and other subsystems under conditions that are difficult to reproduce on the ground.

— Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of difficult

Adjective

Eric Loucks, the director of the Mindfulness Center at Brown, pointed out that a person can have a challenging experience during meditation and still find their overall meditation practice to be beneficial.

— Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2026
For something more hands-on, Atlanta Motorsports Park in Dawsonville has a challenging kart circuit where karts can reach 50 mph or more.

— Chris Teague, AJC.com, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of challenging

Adjective

Alex Steen’s first summer in the big chair was busy, but everything mostly made sense.

— Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Amenities and experiences Harmon Guest House smartly devotes most of its real estate to guest rooms, allowing for maximum comfort in a busy area.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of busy

Adjective

Competing in a Grand Tour is one of sport’s toughest endurance tests.

— Chris Marshall-Bell, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Trump used several minutes of his speech to praise Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is in a tough Senate race in America's largest red state.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of tough

Adjective

That night, somewhere between a racist stranger, a free dessert, my girlfriend publicly shaming a man in a Mediterranean restaurant and our demanding cat, the City of Angels started to feel like home.

— Mayur Chauhan, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
And the longer or more demanding the workout, the more important such fuel becomes.

— Daryl Austin, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of demanding

Adjective

The city offered a large stadium, a useful location on the eastern seaboard and an engaged venue and franchise owner.

— Daniel Gallan, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Today, times are good for the city of 17,000 thanks to its big businesses, small-town charm and engaged citizens, Mayor Chris Pimentel told The Times.

— Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of engaged

Adjective

Popularists, such as the data scientist David Shor and the writer Matt Yglesias, have advocated using rigorous polling and analytics to develop a Democratic agenda that appeals to the median voter.

— Jason Zengerle, New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2026
That’s led to more rigorous testing and higher standards, including a set of rules by the American Petroleum Institute that took effect at the start of the decade.

— Adam Ismail, The Drive, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of rigorous

Browse Nearby Words

laboring

laborious

laboriously

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“Laborious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laborious. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of laborious

adjective

Example Sentences

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