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
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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
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4
as in childbirths
the act or process of giving birth to children
the mother's labor lasted for six hours
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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
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as in struggles
to devote serious and sustained effort
the young lawyer labored most of the weekend over the difficult legal brief
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of labors
Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2025
Around you the parched land and empty sky point less to the idea of death and more to labors in the afterlife.
—Fred Marchant, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
But ambitious ones have become rarities, much like long magazine features and serious documentaries, surviving either as luxuries created by the privileged few or as labors of love made in the margins by committed independents who will work to keep the form alive.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2025
Part of what gives AI 2027 its weight is the charts and numbers running along the right side of the web page displaying the fruit of the authors’ labors.
—John Werner, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Noun
These labors are generally absent from estate accounts, though often evident in diaries.
—Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2025
Around you the parched land and empty sky point less to the idea of death and more to labors in the afterlife.
—Fred Marchant, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
But ambitious ones have become rarities, much like long magazine features and serious documentaries, surviving either as luxuries created by the privileged few or as labors of love made in the margins by committed independents who will work to keep the form alive.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2025
Part of what gives AI 2027 its weight is the charts and numbers running along the right side of the web page displaying the fruit of the authors’ labors.
—John Werner, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for labors
Noun
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And constant headaches coming from upstairs.—
David Hudnall,
Kansas City Star,
2 Oct. 2025
-
But that will not solve all their scheduling headaches.—
Matt Slater,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
With Madubuike -- whose status for the rest of the year is uncertain -- once again out today, and fellow defensive starters Jones and Van Noy possibly unavailable, the Ravens are going to need big-time efforts from LB Roquan Smith and the rest of the front seven.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Sep. 2025
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Many began seeking alternatives outside the traditional system, and policymakers—particularly in Republican-leaning states—intensified efforts to expand school choice programs.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
28 Sep. 2025
Noun
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This has been a turbulent window for Villa, not only against the backdrop of such challenges but also the toils involved in moving current players on.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
27 Aug. 2025
Noun
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In some Michigan counties, Medicaid covers more than half of all childbirths.—
Kristen Jordan Shamus,
Freep.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Some products are tested by third-party labs to ensure their safety and accurate labeling.—
Merve Ceylan,
Health,
28 Sep. 2025
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The products, according to the agency, are part of a larger investigation related to a Listeria outbreak in chicken fettuccine Alfredo meals.—
Raven Brunner,
PEOPLE,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Bo was a source of comfort to many children in Nashville, especially as Tennessee struggles with growing mental health issues, according to Mental Health America, a nonprofit group that promotes mental health and mental illness prevention.—
Craig Shoup,
Nashville Tennessean,
28 Sep. 2025
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Defense struggles with big deficit The Panthers’ defense sat on the sideline for most of the first quarter, as a punt return touchdown by the Patriots was sandwiched between offensive series for the Panthers.—
Mike Kaye
September 28,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
When asked about whether as many as 300,000 workers could lose their jobs, Vought emphasized the administration’s broader goal of shrinking Washington’s reach.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
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The move means crucial jobs data will not be released on schedule, clouding the outlook for the Federal Reserve just weeks ahead of its next meeting.—
Tasmin Lockwood,Chloe Taylor,
CNBC,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) has named multidisciplinary artist Nilbar Güreş, known for her humorous, poetic, yet critical works commenting on social topics, as Turkey’s representative to the Sixty-First Venice Biennale, set to take place May 9–November 22, 2026.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
1 Oct. 2025
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Players will learn tactics for every map and game mode included in the Beta, explore how in-game progression works and discover which rewards will carry over to the full launch.—
Andrew McGowan,
Variety,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Labors.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/labors. Accessed 4 Oct. 2025.
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