spadework

noun

Definition of spadeworknext
as in effort

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Example Sentences

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 spadework These aren’t fads or fancy frameworks, but rather daily spadework that cultivates a culture of collaborative excellence. — Doug Sundheim, Forbes.com, 6 May 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
  1. effort
  2. toil
  3. drudgery
  4. fatigue
  5. travail
  6. slavery
Noun
  • Albeit in an uncompetitive effort, the Falcons’ 27-7 loss to the Broncos in the preseason opener Friday night offered a glimpse at a vast majority of the team’s roster.
    — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 15 Aug. 2026
  • General manager Omar Khan has made a concerted effort to build through the trenches on offense and defense.
    — Mike DeFabo, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of effort
Noun
  • With debts racking up, Ina loses the family’s bus company, forcing her to shift between jobs, from construction to becoming a bar entertainer, therefore forging an identity through toil.
    — Lé Baltar, IndieWire, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Innovation has long relied on the integrity of inventors to ensure the authenticity of their creativity and toil.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of toil
Noun
  • Like its name suggests, Don’t Let Disco pieces act as talismans of joy, connection, and emotion against the drudgery of regular life.
    — Madeline Hirsch, InStyle, 5 Aug. 2026
  • In Pogacar, we are blessed with one of the most aggressive yellow jerseys in history, responsible for dragging cycling from the tactical drudgery of the 2010s.
    — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 27 July 2026
Definition of drudgery
Noun
  • Rangers starter Jacob deGrom, who has been battling a left hip and glute injury since the All-Star break, was pulled after two innings because of right triceps fatigue.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Investigators also found signs of metal fatigue at the base of the fan blade that broke off, despite recent inspections of the fan blades.
    — Kris Van Cleave, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of fatigue
Noun
  • My beloved barn jacket dates back to 19th-century France—referred to as a chore coat or bleu de travail—where it was worn among farmers and laborers who relied on its tough, moleskin fabric to get them through fieldwork.
    — Jessica Sulima, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Aug. 2026
  • That’s partly thanks to Holland, a smart, sensitive actor who, inside a stretchy suit or not, takes his character’s emotional travails just seriously enough.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 28 July 2026
Definition of travail
Noun
  • That's about the legacy of slavery and the monuments commemorating the Confederacy and slave holders and the distortions of history.
    — Terry Gross, NPR, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Others trace the country’s journey from slavery to the election of its first Black president.
    — Richard Fowler, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of slavery

Browse Nearby Words

spades
spadework
spadeworks
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Cite this Entry

“Spadework.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spadework. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

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