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
How Tielemans overcame early toils is often used as a source of encouragement by new additions who seem peripheral at first. Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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 The film unfolds from the perspective of an eight-year-old girl named Qing (Aline Chen), who lives and works the land with her mother, Hongmei (Li Yanxi), while her father toils in a factory in a faraway city. Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toils
Noun
  • What is normal in the state of dementia, where connections are not being made, where tangle is all, objects take on a curious aspect, and where there is an unpleasant flavor to the hours?
    Joy Williams, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
  • In a yarn shop, a tangle of tariffs Sara Heckman’s shop Apricot Yarn & Supply sells yarn from around the world.
    Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Half of his power lies in his ability to explore outside the mold, pushing through reggaetón into dancehall and Latin trap without losing command of the audience.
    Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 22 Oct. 2025
  • In fact, every apparent breakdown has turned into a bear trap, sparking powerful reversals in the opposite direction.
    Frank Cappelleri, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The show follows Snow's Sophie, who struggles to adjust to a new life in Texas but forms a close and complicated bond with Akerman's Margo.
    Brenton Blanchet, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
  • Many believe if Gabriel struggles again Sunday against the Patriots that the Browns could use the following week’s bye to prepare Sanders for his first career start against the Jets the following week.
    Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Amazon and Apple are set to report on Thursday, and Cramer said the most important aspect of the former’s quarter is its web services division.
    Julie Coleman, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2025
  • For each web, arrange 8 pretzel sticks like the spokes of a wheel with ends touching in center.
    Sabrina Weiss, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Every athlete faces the fear of failure and strives to uphold a standard.
    Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Unity strives for timely payment processing, typically aiming to complete clean claims within about a month, with accountability built into its agreements.
    Jason Phillips, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • According to the research team, both classical and quantum models of gravity would produce entanglement at different strengths depending on variables such as mass, separation distance, and experiment duration.
    Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Though researchers logged no right whale deaths in the latest report, entanglements and vessel strikes remain a serious threat to the animals.
    N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • They are being told by their bosses what works based on data and research.
    Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Carrie Preston has returned to reprise her beloved role as Elsbeth Tascioni, the quirky yet brilliant attorney who works alongside the New York Police Department to help solve crimes.
    Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Unfortunately, during his journey, Vasi encountered a wire snare trap, which ended up clamped around his back leg in September 2019.
    Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 11 Oct. 2025
  • Christie Jourdain is band leader and snare drummer for The Original Pinettes, the city’s first all-female brass band that formed in 1991.
    Jenny Adams, CNN Money, 5 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Toils.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toils. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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