TOILSOME Synonyms: 106 Similar and Opposite Words

toilsome

adjective

ˈtȯi(-ə)l-səm

Definition of toilsome

as in difficult

requiring considerable physical or mental effort faced with the toilsome task of cleaning out her deceased father's homestead

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in challenging

requiring much time, effort, or careful attention this is the most toilsome part of the construction, so we'll go slowly to make sure we're doing it right

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 toilsome Meanwhile, Republicans lacked the votes to pass anything so their amendments tended to be trollish and toilsome fliers meant to either own the libs or just annoy the legislators. — Matt Ford, The New Republic, 9 Aug. 2022 Though the third quarter was significantly better for Netflix than its previous quarter, the company signaled that there could be toilsome times ahead. — Natalie Jarvey, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Oct. 2019

Recent Examples of Synonyms for toilsome

Adjective

The California Board of Pharmacy in 2025 reversed course on regulations that would have made the supplement more difficult to acquire after pushback from some firefighters.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
Striking out on her own was a difficult transition, but embracing her solitude gave her the space to learn more about herself and make her own personal decisions, such as getting her cat or making meals of her choosing.

— Amen Galinato, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of difficult

Adjective

Sharing her new life on social media helped give Hoadley a sense of empowerment despite her challenging circumstances.

— Amen Galinato, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter Carson McCullers’ remarkable debut novel tells a story of the American South, one set in Georgia and peopled with a cast of characters that exist in a rich, layered, and challenging reality.

— Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of challenging

Adjective

Building trust requires a strong data foundation, rigorous quality standards and clear visibility into how insights are generated.

— David Tobias, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Every personal finance product review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of mortgage products.

— Kelsey Neubauer, CNBC, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of rigorous

Adjective

These quick tests reveal fine detail, dimensional accuracy, and whether the printer is over- or under-exposed, providing a consistent baseline before evaluating more demanding real-world prints.

— Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 21 Aug. 2026
The squad underwent intensive work in Portugal, where players generally had one long, demanding morning session, before being given time to recover, often with yoga and massages.

— Paul Taylor, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of demanding

Adjective

With men on first and third and nobody out that inning, second baseman Jackson Holliday fielded a tough grounder and threw to second, but shortstop Gunnar Henderson dropped the ball for an error and everyone was safe.

— CBS News, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
As for footwear sales in the region, the second quarter saw a slowdown of sales of high-heat product, alongside tougher comparatives and ongoing softness in end-of-cycle footwear product lines.

— Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of tough

Adjective

For the last six years, Six has lived as a recluse in Amsterdam, lying in bed and going out twice a day for decaf coffee (the regular brew is too hard on his shattered nerves).

— Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 17 Aug. 2026
That could make a huge difference in remote communities where fuel is hard to find and dependable electricity cannot be taken for granted.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of hard

Browse Nearby Words

toils

toilsome

token

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“Toilsome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toilsome. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of toilsome

adjective

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