PAINSTAKINGLY Synonyms: 66 Similar and Opposite Words

painstakingly

adverb

as in meticulously

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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 painstakingly Printing a newspaper required workers to painstakingly place individual letters on a metal plate and manually pull a crank to print individual copies of each and every page. — Aaron Glantz, Christian Science Monitor, 31 Oct. 2026 His interest began with game decompilation, a corner of reverse engineering in which fans painstakingly rebuild the code of video games. — Peter Hall, Scientific American, 30 Oct. 2026 Around 30 animators worked across 40 tiny sets, painstakingly constructing a feature-length film frame by frame. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2026 Wednesday’s operation involved painstakingly maneuvering a large floating platform through the canal to drive the shark out. — ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026 In years past, audio hosts would painstakingly describe a chart. — Victoria Usher, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026 To be stacked together efficiently, they must be painstakingly paired for infinitesimal compatibility. — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026 The painstakingly slow pace is rewarded, as a whimsical work is gradually brought to life through a series of frames. — Bridget Arsenault, Vanity Fair, 14 Oct. 2026 The two then painstakingly matched the items with photos of Guest wearing them in order to tell the complete visual story of her life. — Ari Stark, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for painstakingly

Adverb

Our celebrations were led by women, my grandmother, mother, and aunts, who would meticulously clean the house and spend weeks preparing snacks and sweets.

— Rachel Gurjar, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 Nov. 2026
But that didn't stop him from meticulously researching every last ballot proposition and candidate.

— Saige Miller, NPR, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of meticulously

Adverb

One way in which Wounaan do so is conscientiously sharing and redistributing food, money, wisdom and the like to foster equity.

— Chenier Carpio Opua, The Conversation, 5 Aug. 2026
By thinking locally, building conscientiously, and operationalizing sustainability in our deployment choices, AI users, companies, and developers can also help ensure that the infrastructure powering our future doesn’t cost us the earth.

— Sasha Luccioni, Time, 3 July 2026

Definition of conscientiously

Adverb

This transition from outside to inside, from past to future, is a perfectly playful introduction to The Shinmonzen, which is skilled at balancing a lightness of touch with a seriously luxurious hotel experience.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Nov. 2026
At the start of this election cycle, the notion that Democrats would seriously compete in such deep-red bastions as Kansas, Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas would have seemed absurd.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of seriously

Adverb

American and Afghan Soldiers, Afghan police, too, standing in front of Andrew, listened attentively to the mission briefing.

— Ron Farina, Hartford Courant, 1 Nov. 2026
Anyway, Evelyn appeared to be listening attentively to Jack, though her eyes remained glued to the stage.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of attentively

Adverb

While many Democrats have ardently defended transgender rights, particularly in California, others in the party have sided with Republicans or softened their support.

— Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
On the other side of Via Solari, a handful of policemen gathered around dozens of demonstrators, who ardently—but peacefully—chanted for entirely different reasons.

— José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of ardently

Adverb

And yet, if someone earnestly explores the merits of the zodiac or crystal healing at a dinner party, my inner cynic awakens.

— Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 16 Oct. 2026
From the moment Errol Holden’s raps entered the public sphere in the early 2020s, listening to them has felt like hearing a stranger on the street earnestly tell you how the city has changed.

— Matthew Ritchie, Pitchfork, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of earnestly

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“Painstakingly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/painstakingly. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of painstakingly

adverb

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