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
-
Cue, Helm’s first rejection, abandonment, difficult emotions.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
-
This character was actually quite difficult for me.—
Gavin J Blair,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Even at the show itself, some onlookers had found Lantink’s first non-couture collection from the house for a decade or so too challenging for their sensibilities to compute.—
Luke Leitch,
Vogue,
28 Oct. 2025
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While its not uncommon for companies to establish new garment factories, new mills are more challenging.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
All in all, even a moderate approach was like 12-hours of rigorous cardio.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
2 Nov. 2025
-
His label pioneered the industry’s intensive training system, recruiting performers as young as elementary school age and putting them through years of rigorous preparation.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
One of the tale’s bitterest ironies is that Victor will become a more demanding, more neglectful, and vastly more destructive father figure than Leopold ever was.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Check-in bullies are the most demanding hotel guests.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Whether or not Takaichi's administration is as tough on immigration issues as her campaign rhetoric suggests, some observers warn that failing to actively invest in and integrate foreign nationals into society will have lasting harm on Asia’s second-largest economy.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Without a consolidation of that vote in the final stretch, Mamdani appears tough to beat.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Earlier this year, the popular gadget and autos reviewer Marques Brownlee discussed the arduous process of cancelling his own Roadster reservation in an interview with Waveform Podcast.—
Lora Kolodny,
CNBC,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Testaments abound to their arduous labor.—
Adrian Miller,
Southern Living,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Developed by scientists at TU Delft, the algorithm can help perform tasks at hard-to-reach infrastructure, like offshore wind turbines.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Nov. 2025
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Creatures crawling out of gunk, their legs extending, their toe-webs rescinding, amoebic eyes getting harder.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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In a dining culture shaped by efficiency and the chase for Instagram-ability, the return to intricate, laborious sauciering feels almost subversive.—
Joel Hart,
Vogue,
23 Oct. 2025
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The laborious process of finalizing a Mountain West men’s basketball schedule continued Wednesday with the release of television assignments and the adjustment of several dates from the tentative list of games released last month.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Toilsome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toilsome. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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