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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as in labors
to devote serious and sustained effort
toiled for many years on the mammoth outdoor sculpture
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of toils
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
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
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
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
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
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
-
Azulik Stepping inside Azulik feels nothing short of entering a liveable piece of art, its tangle of beach wood, stone, and concrete crafting spaces reminiscent of bird nests and cocoons across its 48-villa property.—
Carley Rojas Avila,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Gazes tangle, sound mutes, time bends.—
Addie Citchens,
New Yorker,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Every man and woman who labors in the construction industry deserves that.—
Tim Dunn,
Boston Herald,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Both teams created chances after the interval and Como coach Cesc Fabregas' changes paid off as Tasos Douvikas beat the offside trap to equalize.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Trump is risking falling into the Biden trap by asking Americans to endure higher prices for a war in the Middle East.—
Mabinty Quarshie,
The Washington Examiner,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
However, the study shows that VQE frequently struggles to handle them accurately.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Mar. 2026
-
If John does agree to explore his options in politics, things will get worse for Carolyn, who struggles to keep a brave face in light of the scrutiny that is hitting her from all sides.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Optional web search can be toggled on, while offline mode keeps everything local.—
StackCommerce Team,
PC Magazine,
13 Mar. 2026
-
The minimum amount is computed based on the life expectancy table in IRS Publication 590-B, which is available free on the IRS web site.—
Elliot Raphaelson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Sweeney plays Undine Spragg, a fiercely ambitious woman from the Midwest who strives for the social heights of turn-of-the-century New York.—
Justin Kroll,
Deadline,
11 Mar. 2026
-
As the agency continues to grow, strengthening its infrastructure, TSD strives to preserve the intimacy that first defined those early kitchen-table sessions.—
Contributor,
USA Today,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
What that résumé doesn’t show, however, is Sinofsky’s entanglement in the murkier corners of the business world.—
Lily Mae Lazarus,
Fortune,
12 Mar. 2026
-
The transatlantic entanglement also means that Brent’s status as a relatively neutral benchmark is changing.—
Harmeet Kaur,
CNN Money,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Keep it straightforward, and repeat what works today.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Anyone who has seen the way the space works today can recognize that there are a lot of families who find this very, very difficult right now.—
Anna Moeslein,
Glamour,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Toils.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toils. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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