as in effort
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Recent Examples of spadework
As with Joe Biden and Barack Obama before him — and, indeed, as in his first term — Trump’s flurry of orders is the product of a legislative branch that has been content to leave the spadework to the president, and to a presidency that has begun to take cynical advantage of that trend.
—
The Editors, National Review, 22 Jan. 2025
But the loss at the Mercedes plants will almost surely slow down the union’s campaign and probably force it to do more spadework to secure the support of workers before seeking to hold elections at other auto plants.
—Jack Ewing, New York Times, 17 May 2024
In this peacemaking effort, the United States would have to do almost all the spadework.
—Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Mar. 2024
Early spadework for the new batch of projects also dates back to the City of Cleveland’s 2004 Waterfront District Plan.
—Steven Litt, cleveland, 26 Feb. 2022
See All Example Sentences for spadework
The Editors, National Review, 22 Jan. 2025
But the loss at the Mercedes plants will almost surely slow down the union’s campaign and probably force it to do more spadework to secure the support of workers before seeking to hold elections at other auto plants.
—Jack Ewing, New York Times, 17 May 2024
In this peacemaking effort, the United States would have to do almost all the spadework.
—Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Mar. 2024
Early spadework for the new batch of projects also dates back to the City of Cleveland’s 2004 Waterfront District Plan.
—Steven Litt, cleveland, 26 Feb. 2022
See All Example Sentences for spadework
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spadework
Noun
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Eco effort As with many high-end resorts in Costa Rica, there is a relentless desire to preserve the beauty of its host country.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 Mar. 2026
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Lael talked about efforts to push more early voting to prevent the kind of issues voters in Dallas County faced on election day.—
Harrison Mantas,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
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As Henrik Pedersen’s young side toil on the pitch, the fans display defiance, frustration and no little humour, invariably of the gallows variety.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
26 Feb. 2026
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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
Noun
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The film’s only nomination went to John Travolta for his performance as Tony Manero, a young Brooklyn man who escaped the drudgery of his job and his home life every night at a local disco.—
Paul Grein,
Billboard,
27 Feb. 2026
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His goal is to automate the drudgery of laboratory research, making experiments faster, more accurate and easier to perform.—
Deni Ellis Béchard,
Scientific American,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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That mental fatigue is to be expected, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, after Yamamoto’s two-year transition from Japan’s professional league to back-to-back World Series titles with the Dodgers.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
28 Feb. 2026
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Prolonged dehydration can lead to a whole host of health issues, like headaches, muscle cramps, and fatigue.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Consider the recent travails of bride-to-be Lauren Johnson.—
Editorial Board,
Washington Post,
13 Feb. 2026
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Set in the late 90’s, the comedy follows the trials and travails of Chester (Dan Beirne), a cartoonist and Sonny (Emily Lê), a TV host, who are in a long-term, committed, romantic relationship until Sonny introduces the idea of opening up the couple.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Over the year, the team handles challenging cases including premature birth, placenta previa, kidney cancer, tuberculosis, and slavery.—
Jessica Radloff,
Glamour,
1 Mar. 2026
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Advertisement Gates’ roughly chronological account weaves together major moments in each group’s history, from the Spanish Inquisition and American slavery to World War II, the Civil Rights Movement, and beyond.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
27 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spadework.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spadework. Accessed 8 Mar. 2026.
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