toils 1 of 2

plural of toil
as in tangle
something that catches and holds a married woman hopelessly caught in the toils of an extramarital affair

Synonyms & Similar Words

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toils

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of toil

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 toils
Noun
There has to be a chance that Jos Buttler’s toils in Sri Lanka and India represent his last ventures on the international stage, and therefore the end of an era. Paul Newman, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026 Both were premised on the idea of frictionless ease, liberating their users from outmoded toils. Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 19 Feb. 2026 The conceit of narrating a year in one’s life through the toils and sensations of the kitchen is one that many have taken up before. Hannah Goldfield, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Verb
The silent sci-fi film, which depicts a dystopian future in which the wealthy upper class prospers in a utopia while the working class lives and toils in a dismal underground society, was released in theaters in 1927. Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 16 June 2026 While Alina toils in the greenhouses, Lucian makes new friends. Leo Barraclough, Variety, 13 May 2026 Yoriko toils in anonymity in Nagi as a sculptor of human figures hewn from raw blocks of wood. Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 12 May 2026 Union itself released a dramatic trailer set in a surgical amphitheater in which a medical team toils away at the sneaker. Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 4 Feb. 2026 Several Democratic incumbents are seeing their young primary opponents boast impressive fundraising numbers as the party toils between placing its faith in its incumbent establishment or in a future featuring younger, more progressive candidates. Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 17 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toils
Noun
  • They’re immediately pulled into a tangle of police reports, hospital notifications, insurance calls, and legal questions that can feel impossible to sort through while grieving.
    William Jones, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 June 2026
  • Richie Laryea for Canada burst into the box in a good position but was brought to ground amid a tangle of legs with South Africa’s Khuliso Mudau.
    Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 28 June 2026
Verb
  • Every man and woman who labors in the construction industry deserves that.
    Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 5 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • This is because the infrastructure of the city traps in all of the heat that built up during the day, thus preventing a normal nocturnal cooldown seen in non-urban settings.
    Matthew Villafane, CBS News, 29 June 2026
  • One of the biggest traps organizations fall into is assuming employees already know what behaviors are valued.
    Amee Desjourdy, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • During contests, their stomachs stretch, heart rates rise, and digestion struggles to keep up, causing intense physical stress.
    Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • Her 12-year-old son, Whitman, has autism and a neurological disorder called apraxia, in which the brain struggles to tell muscles how to move to form words or perform other motor skills.
    Annie Ma, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
Noun
  • Dark web markets are shrouded in secrecy, but admins of dark web marketplaces have been identified by law enforcement and arrested before.
    Tim McNicholas, CBS News, 1 July 2026
  • Note that the Username button will only appear on your primary mobile device, and not on the WhatsApp web or desktop app.
    Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 30 June 2026
Verb
  • Alan Stanton said the conservative county strives not to overregulate in general.
    John Aguilar, Denver Post, 24 June 2026
  • New legislation introduced by a bipartisan group of senators strives to add new aircraft to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Hurricane Hunter fleet and codify the agency’s role in meteorological research.
    Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 17 June 2026
Noun
  • Her departure comes on the heels the scandal surrounding her romantic entanglement with fellow cast member West Wilson.
    Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 29 June 2026
  • But in this case, the result has been physical missing pieces, a legal entanglement spanning multiple courts and parties, and a city galvanized to keep the history of slavery alive.
    Danny Freeman, CNN Money, 28 June 2026
Verb
  • Anderson has since remarried and currently works as chief of staff for corporate development at payment technology company Celero Commerce.
    Bryan West, USA Today, 4 July 2026
  • The land transfer cleared its last regulatory hurdle June 26 with the approval by the California Transportation Commission, said Neil Thapar, an attorney who works as an advisor and legal consultant to Kai Poma.
    Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026

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“Toils.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toils. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.

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