1
as in job
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 effort
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 toil
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 childbirth
the act or process of giving birth to children
the mother's labor lasted for six hours
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in production
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 to struggle
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 labor
Edward Segarra, USA Today, 23 Feb. 2026
The committee on Monday also approved reappointing the Hope Florida Foundation’s attorney, Jeff Aaron, to the Public Employees Relations Commission, which handles state employee and labor disputes.
—Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 23 Feb. 2026
Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
Steph Curry labored through Sunday’s 111-85 victory with a sore knee, and he was ruled out for Monday’s game at Target Center.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for labor
Noun
The Grammy-winning rapper and controversial figure, formerly known as Kanye West, is going to trial this week after a former employee, Tony Saxon, sued the rapper in September 2023 for various labor abuses while working on his Southern California home.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 23 Feb. 2026
The committee on Monday also approved reappointing the Hope Florida Foundation’s attorney, Jeff Aaron, to the Public Employees Relations Commission, which handles state employee and labor disputes.
—Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 23 Feb. 2026
Verb
Federal standards to protect coal miners and workers who labor in extreme heat finally inched closer to implementation, and dancers in Washington State organized to win a Strippers’ Bill of Rights.
—Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
Steph Curry labored through Sunday’s 111-85 victory with a sore knee, and he was ruled out for Monday’s game at Target Center.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for labor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for labor
Noun
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Yet the requirement to have identification to get a shoveling job would appear to contradict such claims and concerns.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
The Washington Examiner,
23 Feb. 2026
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In the modern age of remote hiring, the virtual job interview has devolved into a Wild West of unprofessionalism and artificial intelligence shortcuts.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
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According to the firm, the effort reflects sustained demand from naval and air warfighters for aircraft capable of holding targets at risk from extended distances, particularly across the vast air and maritime spaces of the Western Pacific.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Eco effort The Jareckis didn't retrofit sustainability onto an existing luxury product.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Both were premised on the idea of frictionless ease, liberating their users from outmoded toils.—
Jake Lundberg,
The Atlantic,
19 Feb. 2026
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The conceit of narrating a year in one’s life through the toils and sensations of the kitchen is one that many have taken up before.—
Hannah Goldfield,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The award honors her work creating Colorado's first Spanish-language doula training program for immigrant families, helping address gaps in care that put Spanish-speaking and immigrant families at higher risk during pregnancy and childbirth.—
Jasmine Arenas,
CBS News,
18 Feb. 2026
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In 2020, 1 in 52 women in Sierra Leone died during pregnancy or childbirth, according to Partners In Health.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The production model is scheduled to go on sale locally later in 2026.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Feb. 2026
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Both opera and dance are at home in the stone amphitheater, which each summer hosts a popular opera festival with lavish productions and the gala dance performance titled Roberto Bolle and Friends.—
Colleen Barry,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Groceries and warehouse clubs like Sam’s and Costco do flawlessly what many of us struggle to do at home — roast a whole chicken to golden-brown perfection on a rotating spit so that every morsel is cooked evenly and deliciously tender.—
Gretchen McKay,
Twin Cities,
25 Feb. 2026
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Instead, 10 games into his college career, Arenas is struggling mightily with his offensive efficiency.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Major industry groups including the American Petroleum Institute have not fought to kill the federal endangerment finding, because a patchwork of state laws could ultimately replace it — leading to legal headaches and a raft of nuisance lawsuits against them, experts said.—
Ella Nilsen,
CNN Money,
24 Feb. 2026
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Gone are the days of worrying that your vitamins or headache medication accidentally spilled all over the bottom of the bag; this style has two layers of defense.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The researchers are hopeful that their work will help advance hydrovoltaic devices that can power battery-free devices using water, heat, and sunlight.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
20 Feb. 2026
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Grillmair’s work had focused on uncovering the structure of the Milky Way, identifying faint stellar streams and substructures that make up the galactic halo surrounding our spiral galaxy, and helping reshape our understanding of how galaxies evolve, according to his website.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Labor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/labor. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
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