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
This has been a turbulent window for Villa, not only against the backdrop of such challenges but also the toils involved in moving current players on. Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025
Verb
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
  • Box-out drills, tip drills, fighting through a tangle of pads for the ball drills.
    Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Sep. 2025
  • Thick, coarse hair does best with a hot-air brush that features strong, durable bristles and tangle-free features.
    BestReviews, Mercury News, 25 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Like the noon window, there are a couple other trap games to consider here.
    Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
  • But there are specific pointers for ensuring your trap catches the intruder.
    Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Bo was a source of comfort to many children in Nashville, especially as Tennessee struggles with growing mental health issues, according to Mental Health America, a nonprofit group that promotes mental health and mental illness prevention.
    Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 28 Sep. 2025
  • Defense struggles with big deficit The Panthers’ defense sat on the sideline for most of the first quarter, as a punt return touchdown by the Patriots was sandwiched between offensive series for the Panthers.
    Mike Kaye September 28, Charlotte Observer, 28 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The next big agentic web browser is here.
    James Peckham, PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Even so, the early web was a dream realized.
    Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Over one intense day, the devoted head teacher (Cillian Murphy) of a last-chance reform school strives to keep his students in line while facing pressures of his own.
    Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 27 Sep. 2025
  • Advertisement Protecting children and demanding decent pay and conditions must be a priority as the world strives to meet its clean energy goals.
    Xanthe Scharff, Time, 22 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • This season, audiences can expect sharp legal battles, juicy entanglements, and plenty of twists.
    Okla Jones, Essence, 25 Sep. 2025
  • The fictional Westside Hospital is a hotbed of conflicting romantic entanglements, along with infectious diseases.
    Julie Hinds, Freep.com, 23 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Smart nutrition management all through the season always works better than trying to achieve stunning results with last minute fertilizer fixes.
    Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Holding his hand helps calm him down (a magic touch that works well with real kids, too).
    Pamela Brill, Parents, 2 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • It’s also brilliantly arranged, from the chiming guitar on the intro to the way the rhythm section makes its entrance (McCartney-esque bassline and rat-a-tat snare) before pulling back on the chorus, where Ruess’ vocal appears to be floating in space on a bed of keyboards and piano.
    Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 26 Sep. 2025
  • Daugherty put the snare around the animal.
    Saleen Martin, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Toils.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toils. Accessed 3 Oct. 2025.

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