TRAVAIL Synonyms: 186 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the noun 'travail' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of travail are drudgery , grind , labor , toil , and work . While all these words mean "activity involving effort or exertion," travail is bookish for labor involving pain or suffering. // years of travail were lost when the house burned

Q: In what contexts can 'drudgery' take the place of 'travail'?

The words drudgery and travail can be used in similar contexts, but drudgery suggests dull and irksome labor. // an editorial job with a good deal of drudgery

Q: When would 'grind' be a good substitute for 'travail'?

Although the words grind and travail have much in common, grind implies labor exhausting to mind or body. // the grind of the assembly line

Q: When is it sensible to use 'labor' instead of 'travail'?

While in some cases nearly identical to travail , labor applies to physical or intellectual work involving great and often strenuous exertion. // farmers demanding fair compensation for their labor

Q: When could 'toil' be used to replace 'travail'?

The meanings of toil and travail largely overlap; however, toil implies prolonged and fatiguing labor. // his lot would be years of back-breaking toil

Q: When might 'work' be a better fit than 'travail'?

The words work and travail are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, work may imply activity of body, of mind, of a machine, or of a natural force. // too tired to do any work

travail 1 of 2

noun

trə-ˈvāl

Definition of travail

as in distress

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 & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in labor

very hard or unpleasant work these villagers now have decent housing, so our travail has not been in vain

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as in childbirth

the act or process of giving birth to children a midwife assisted her throughout her long travail

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travail

2 of 2

verb

trə-ˈvāl

as in to labor

to devote serious and sustained effort Labor Day is the day on which we recognize those men and women who daily travail with little appreciation or compensation

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How does the noun travail contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of travail are drudgery, grind, labor, toil, and work. While all these words mean "activity involving effort or exertion," travail is bookish for labor involving pain or suffering.

years of travail were lost when the house burned

In what contexts can drudgery take the place of travail?

The words drudgery and travail can be used in similar contexts, but drudgery suggests dull and irksome labor.

an editorial job with a good deal of drudgery

When would grind be a good substitute for travail?

Although the words grind and travail have much in common, grind implies labor exhausting to mind or body.

the grind of the assembly line

When is it sensible to use labor instead of travail?

While in some cases nearly identical to travail, labor applies to physical or intellectual work involving great and often strenuous exertion.

farmers demanding fair compensation for their labor

When could toil be used to replace travail?

The meanings of toil and travail largely overlap; however, toil implies prolonged and fatiguing labor.

his lot would be years of back-breaking toil

When might work be a better fit than travail?

The words work and travail are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, work may imply activity of body, of mind, of a machine, or of a natural force.

too tired to do any work

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 travail

Noun

Despite their travails in Tehran, the atmosphere in the cafe felt lax, with many women not heeding the country’s law requiring women to cover their heads and the shape of their bodies. — Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 22 June 2026 Gaudette used a series of AI tools — and not a single actor, producer or crew member — to tell his tender story of a man who, for all his travails, hardly wallows in his station. — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 17 June 2026

Verb

Zhong Shanshan, founder and chairman of beverage giant Nongfu Spring, has reclaimed his crown as China’s richest person amid a turnaround of his business and family travails at top rival Hangzhou Wahaha Group. — Yue Wang, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025 For Zegler, making her British stage debut, Evita must seem like a haven of sorts after her travails with the controversy that grew around Snow White, where her casting was subject to racist attacks on social media about her Colombian heritage. — Sarah Crompton, Vogue, 16 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for travail

Recent Examples of Synonyms for travail

Noun

Lewbel said distress detection is no longer a feature of Flock's system, but did not respond to questions about what led to that decision or whether it had ever been used by law enforcement.

— N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 11 July 2026
However, evidence of an ancient alien civilization and a frantic distress call from deep space instantly cut those celebrations short.

— Paul Brett, Space.com, 10 July 2026

Definition of distress

Noun

Advocates viewed Cal/OSHA’S recognition of the detainees as workers as a victory that could pave the way for future labor rights fights at other detention centers in the state.

— Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
In response to the labor violations miners faced, Buh founded the American Slovene Catholic Union.

— Vivian Wilson, Twin Cities, 8 July 2026

Definition of labor

Noun

Baby Carrie has not been born yet at the start of the series, in part so the show could explore pioneer pregnancy and childbirth.

— Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
Ronaldo and Rodríguez announced in April 2022 that Bella’s newborn twin brother Ángel died during childbirth.

— Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 6 July 2026

Definition of childbirth

Verb

Goldin, who also spent last season on a two-way contract with the Heat after going undrafted last year out of Michigan, struggled in Monday’s summer league loss.

— Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 14 July 2026
Turkey struggled against the USMNT’s corners throughout the game, with multiple chances created from outswinging corners towards the penalty spot.

— Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 14 July 2026

Definition of struggle

Noun

Bellingham deserves a mention, too; his tireless running in-behind defences has created space for Kane all through the tournament, while his colossal defensive efforts have helped to maintain balance across the team.

— Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 11 July 2026
The organization is a main backer of the measure and has supported efforts in other states to prohibit individualized prices for people based on certain personal information.

— Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 11 July 2026

Definition of effort

Noun

Andrade said the absence of an official passenger manifest deepened the anguish of dozens of families awaiting the arrival of Flight 164.

— Sonia Osorio, Miami Herald, 9 July 2026
The series depicts the anguish of an interrupted boyhood and the awakening of a child’s conscience as their safest spaces erode.

— Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 8 July 2026

Definition of anguish

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“Travail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/travail. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

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