1
as in headaches
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in efforts
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in toils
very hard or unpleasant work
a political dissident forced to do six months of hard labor in the salt mines as punishment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in childbirths
the act or process of giving birth to children
the mother's labor lasted for six hours
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in products
something produced by physical or intellectual effort
a small, personal film that was clearly a labor of love for the director and actors
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in struggles
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 labors
Parents, 21 May 2026
Johnson is consistent in mirroring the release from his pedal and rarely labors when transitioning with route breaks.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
Residents need relief from high rates and the city itself labors under a hefty and ever-rising power bill, adding tens of millions to its deficit.
—Craig D. Rose, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2026
In fact, to not do so would be robbing yourself of the fruits of your past labors.
—R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
Like the appeals made by women during the antiquity to midwife goddesses, prayer and supplication were ways to affirm intentions for healthy pregnancies, calm labors, and living children.
—Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
In the second round, Sarah labors.
—Gerald Witt, AJC.com, 1 Mar. 2026
And while the fruits of those labors may not be realized until later in the winter or in the spring — when free agency and the draft finally arrive — the next few days are crucial for laying groundwork.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 25 Feb. 2026
Thousands of truck enthusiasts gathered to display their revving, roving labors of love at the annual Lone Star Throwdown in Conroe this weekend, one of the country’s largest custom truck shows.
—Maliya Ellis, Houston Chronicle, 21 Feb. 2026
Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 5 Mar. 2026
Noun
People who had really long labors and deliveries are at higher risk of developing a pelvic floor prolapse.
—Parents, 21 May 2026
Johnson is consistent in mirroring the release from his pedal and rarely labors when transitioning with route breaks.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
Residents need relief from high rates and the city itself labors under a hefty and ever-rising power bill, adding tens of millions to its deficit.
—Craig D. Rose, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2026
In fact, to not do so would be robbing yourself of the fruits of your past labors.
—R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
Like the appeals made by women during the antiquity to midwife goddesses, prayer and supplication were ways to affirm intentions for healthy pregnancies, calm labors, and living children.
—Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
In the second round, Sarah labors.
—Gerald Witt, AJC.com, 1 Mar. 2026
And while the fruits of those labors may not be realized until later in the winter or in the spring — when free agency and the draft finally arrive — the next few days are crucial for laying groundwork.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 25 Feb. 2026
Thousands of truck enthusiasts gathered to display their revving, roving labors of love at the annual Lone Star Throwdown in Conroe this weekend, one of the country’s largest custom truck shows.
—Maliya Ellis, Houston Chronicle, 21 Feb. 2026
Verb
Every man and woman who labors in the construction industry deserves that.
—Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 5 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for labors
Noun
-
People there in the 1970s were getting sick with symptoms like severe fatigue, headaches, skin rashes and swollen knees.—
Jeff Wagner,
CBS News,
9 June 2026
-
Persistent headaches, scratchy throats and that foggy, fatigued feeling that never quite lifts may not be a virus or seasonal pollen.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Charlotte Observer,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
Its completion is a testament to the efforts of the countless designers and architects who had to decipher plans for the church that were largely destroyed in the 1930s.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
-
The tool, which uses artificial intelligence, could be deployed at airports to bolster wildlife enforcement efforts, the researchers say.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
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
-
Both were premised on the idea of frictionless ease, liberating their users from outmoded toils.—
Jake Lundberg,
The Atlantic,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Many women may not be aware at all that private details of their childbirths were shared with law enforcement.—
Shoshana Walter,
CBS News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
In some Michigan counties, Medicaid covers more than half of all childbirths.—
Kristen Jordan Shamus,
Freep.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Why are taxpayers subsidizing products that worsen diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and metabolic dysfunction?—
Ed Gaskin,
Boston Herald,
30 May 2026
-
All products featured on Vogue are independently selected by our editors.—
Laura Tortora,
Vogue,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
In it, a Native Hawaiian family struggles to reclaim the ancestral lands that colonization, tourism, and rampant development threaten to overrun.—
Gabrielle Bellot,
Literary Hub,
29 May 2026
-
Over the last few years, Keira has lost her ability to speak, has started having seizures, and struggles more and more with walking.—
Elise Esposito,
Boston Herald,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
During the four-month primary campaign, Raman offered withering critiques of Bass’ first term, saying the mayor failed to act with urgency on homelessness, apartment construction, street repairs and the exodus of entertainment jobs from the region.—
Noah Goldberg,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
-
The unemployment rate among young people is about twice as high as the national average; and 40% of college grads who are working have taken jobs that don't require a college degree, like temporary or part-time gigs.—
David Pogue,
CBS News,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
Partners have received works by Hans Memling, Rembrandt, van Dyck, Matisse, Cézanne, Degas, Georgia O’Keeffe, Alma Thomas, Mark Rothko, and so on.—
Greg Allen,
ARTnews.com,
7 June 2026
-
Other works rely more heavily on easy sentiment.—
Ray Mark Rinaldi,
Denver Post,
7 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Labors.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/labors. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
