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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of labor
David Clarey, jsonline.com, 31 July 2025
Almost 465,000 California workers fled from the labor ranks during the week of June 8, as immigration authorities raided worksites across the Los Angeles area, according to a July University of California, Merced study.
—Terry Collins, USA Today, 31 July 2025
arkansasonline.com, 3 July 2025
These locales usually house scores of workers who labor in shifts to lure victims into parting ways with their crypto, like Bitcoin, or cash.
—Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for labor
Noun
That was followed by further delays when the city's labor negotiator moved to a new role and other staffing changes continued to delay the negotiations, which were scheduled for state arbitration in August, September and October.
—David Clarey, jsonline.com, 31 July 2025
Almost 465,000 California workers fled from the labor ranks during the week of June 8, as immigration authorities raided worksites across the Los Angeles area, according to a July University of California, Merced study.
—Terry Collins, USA Today, 31 July 2025
Verb
Italy's labor ministry and union representatives signed a protocol Wednesday on protecting farm, construction and other workers who labor outdoors from heat exposure.
—arkansasonline.com, 3 July 2025
These locales usually house scores of workers who labor in shifts to lure victims into parting ways with their crypto, like Bitcoin, or cash.
—Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for labor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for labor
Noun
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Data showed across seven Valley cities that there were 158 full-time employees with a park ranger job title.—
Maritza Dominguez,
AZCentral.com,
24 July 2025
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Great companies create cultures where ideas matter more than job titles.—
JJ Rosen,
The Tennessean,
24 July 2025
Noun
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Waiting there for us was Rhubarb the python snake, who's a member of the zoo's animal ambassador program, which means she was selected to help promote the zoo's conservation efforts and represent her species.—
Grace Tucker,
The Enquirer,
23 July 2025
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As part of that effort, the Justice Department, acting at the direction of the Republican president, last week asked a judge to unseal grand jury transcripts from the case.—
Eric Tucker,
Chicago Tribune,
22 July 2025
Noun
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Another says Stan Lee, frustrated by years of toil churning out uninspiring comics, was prompted by his wife to try something new that would excite him.—
Oliver Staley,
Time,
25 July 2025
-
Poets toil as often-anonymous individuals building some greater nest, colony, or hive that might outlast us or end up squashed and swept away unceremoniously.—
Hannah Brooks-Motl
June 2,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2025
Noun
-
The Fantastic Four: First Steps boasts positive themes centering on the strength of family, the beauty of childbirth, and protecting the next generation.—
Lynnette Nicholas,
Parents,
23 July 2025
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Pregnant people living in states with bans are twice as likely to die during childbirth as in states without bans.—
Claire Laurier Decoteau,
Chicago Tribune,
8 July 2025
Noun
-
The state's rainy day fund, which comes from a portion of the state's tax on oil production, is expected to top $28 billion, which would be a record.—
John C. Moritz,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
-
No, there are no bread production facilities in Indiana.—
Hannah Hudnall,
IndyStar,
29 July 2025
Verb
-
The party of the president usually struggles in a midterm election like next year's race to replace Peters.—
M.L. Elrick,
Freep.com,
23 July 2025
-
But AmeriCorps officials have struggled in recent years to provide financial information to auditors and have acknowledged the need for reforms.—
Dan Horn,
The Enquirer,
23 July 2025
Noun
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Read More: The 9 Most Underrated Healthy Foods Flavorings and additives Natural fruit compounds, artificial colorants, and tannins in wine can cause headaches, GI symptoms, or hives in sensitive people.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Time,
22 July 2025
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Magnesium is an essential nutrient that your body needs to stay healthy, and doesn't usually cause headaches.—
Ashley Wong,
Health,
21 July 2025
Noun
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Though Millsap suddenly found herself out of work, there is little legal recourse for her or the rest of the employees at Okra.—
Evan Moore
July 31,
Charlotte Observer,
31 July 2025
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Perhaps most importantly, RPA frees human staff for more valuable, meaningful work.—
Kali Durgampudi,
Forbes.com,
31 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Labor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/labor. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
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