SPADEWORK Synonyms: 48 Similar and Opposite Words

spadework

noun

Definition of spadework

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

Noun

Those shots blotted out what had been an inspiriting effort by the Valkyries’ bench unit.

— Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2026
Jason Bauer, the city’s director of public works and city engineer, said Aurora pursued multiple procurement efforts.

— Steve Zalusky, Chicago Tribune, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of effort

Noun

The poem is about how our most worthwhile pursuits—things like art, love, and beauty—often seem to demand a measure of toil.

— Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2026
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

Definition of toil

Noun

In an interview with Fortune, Kopp described the company’s mission as freeing CFOs from the drudgery that keeps them chained to spreadsheets long after everyone else has logged off.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 18 Aug. 2026
Enduring drudgery requires discipline, Bronin owns the patent on that.

— Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of drudgery

Noun

In melanoma patients, Keytruda treatment can result in fatigue, diarrhea, rash and inflammation of joints and muscles, as well as of healthy organs in some cases.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
The product is intended for people navigating screen-heavy workdays, mental fatigue, travel, irregular routines, or periods of rest before returning to focused tasks.

— William Jones, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of fatigue

Noun

Given the travails of Bessent, its contents will make interesting reading.

— John Cassidy, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2026
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

Definition of travail

Noun

Massachusetts was the first state to abolish slavery, and since the 1800s, Martha’s Vineyard and Inkwell Beach have been a renowned getaway for Black families, for Black freedom and Black expression.

— Doug Melville, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
But many said that more reflective representation matters given the nation’s history, from slavery to Jim Crow and the lingering effects.

— Steven Sloan, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of slavery

Browse Nearby Words

spades

spadework

spadeworks

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Style

“Spadework.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spadework. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of spadework

noun

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