travail

1 a state of great suffering of body or mind no greater travail than that of parents who have suffered the death of a child Synonyms affliction, agony, anguish, excruciation, hurt, misery, pain, rack, strait(s), torment, torture, distress, tribulation, woeRelated Words discomfort; cross, crucible, trial; heartache, heartbreak, joylessness, sadness, sorrow, unhappiness; emergency, pinch; asperity, difficulty, hardship, rigor; ache, pang, smarting, soreness, stitch, throe, twinge; danger, jeopardy, troubleNear Antonyms comfort, consolation, solace; alleviation, assuagement, ease, relief; peace, security; well-being

2 very hard or unpleasant work these villagers now have decent housing, so our travail has not been in vain Synonyms donkeywork, drudge, drudgery, fatigue, grind, labor, moil, slavery, sweat, toilRelated Words spadework; effort, exertion, pains, struggle, trouble; chore, duty, job, obligation, responsibility; routine, tedium, treadmillNear Antonyms decompression, ease, leisure, relaxation, repose, rest; amusement, dalliance, diversion, entertainment, recreation, sport; dormancy, idleness, inactivity, inertia, inertness; dallying, goldbricking, loafing, lolling, loungingAntonyms fun, play

3 the act or process of giving birth to children a midwife assisted her throughout her long travail Synonyms accouchement, childbearing, delivery, labor, parturition, childbirthRelated Words birth pang, contraction, pains; pregnancy; abortion, miscarriage; cesarean section (or caesarean section), natural childbirth; childbed, confinement, lying-in