1
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
2
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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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
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
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Some organizers say America's complicated and at times difficult history is being glossed over by fireworks and flag-waving ‒ or that it's being politicized by an administration that has actively worked to advance its version of history.
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The move gives Marte another chance to work his way back to the major leagues after a difficult stretch that included a brief stop with the Cincinnati Reds organization earlier this year before a cut.
Adjective
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Keeping your hair looking and feeling shiny can be challenging, but not with this hair kit.
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Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Jaime Moore said that fighting the fire had been extremely challenging.
Adjective
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And a rigorous screening protocol for LFS patients developed by David Malkin, a protege of Fraumeni and Li, helps detect early-stage malignancies, improving the odds of treating them and prolonging lives.
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According to Lacey, who helped set up the Code Four program last year, enforcing the law requires a clear grasp of ethics and a rigorous attention to detail to make sure the job is done well.
Adjective
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In a demanding, real-world performance setting — a capstone exercise, a live performance, a high-stakes simulation — the goal is not to eliminate all mistakes, but to stay in control and navigate the zone of being uncomfortable.
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New York crowds are passionate, honest, and demanding.
Adjective
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Summer 2026 is having a tough time deciding on this season’s dominating nail trend.
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These are typically low-wage jobs that the healthcare industry writ large has had a tough time recruiting for since the pandemic.
Adjective
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McGregor’s recovery was lengthy and arduous.
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After an arduous search, the airy, Los Angeles location near her family instantly became her spiritual home.
Adjective
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In the days leading up to his show, Chavarria and his team were hard at work in his make-shift studio in the 6th arrondissement.
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Closing a chapter, not the relationships For Sevy, the hardest part is closing this chapter with the people who made the place feel like home.
Adjective
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Traditionally, mathematicians have had to translate their theorems and proofs into this machine-readable format by hand, a laborious process known as formalization.
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Kluivert didn’t stay long, but Room did, spending his international weeks travelling to the Caribbean and back, entering CONCACAF’s laborious World Cup qualifying competition at the first stage, playing for a team slowly building its way up from the lower reaches of FIFA’s rankings.
Cite this Entry
“Toilsome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toilsome. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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