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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in childbirth

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

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

My beloved barn jacket dates back to 19th-century France—referred to as a chore coat or bleu de travail—where it was worn among farmers and laborers who relied on its tough, moleskin fabric to get them through fieldwork. — Jessica Sulima, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Aug. 2026 That’s partly thanks to Holland, a smart, sensitive actor who, inside a stretchy suit or not, takes his character’s emotional travails just seriously enough. — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 28 July 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

The patient's distress was intense at first, Dugas said, but diminished considerably by the second day.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
CoreWeave credit default swaps hit distress levels as investors soured on AI debt.

— Kai Nicol-Schwarz, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of distress

Noun

So regenerative has to regenerate livelihoods and communities too, including decent work and supporting the women who do much of the labor in cotton in many contexts.

— SJ Studio, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
This comes as the league prepares for a labor fight in which financial inequality is a central top of debate.

— Scott Soshnick, Sportico.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of labor

Noun

But in earlier myths, Al Basty was described as a hearth deity and a protector of women in childbirth.

— Yulia Denisyuk, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Oct. 2026
Her father, a military commander, is killed by the British Army during the French Revolutionary Wars of the late 18th century, and her mother dies during childbirth.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of childbirth

Verb

Miller's attempt to recast the conversation about his divorce echoed efforts by other candidates who are struggling to overcome concerns about their character.

— Lara Korte The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026
But more than 40 countries currently struggling with financing and liquidity challenges do not have debt stocks that require imminent restructuring.

— Masood Ahmed, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of struggle

Noun

His personal agony fused with despair over the military government, which continued to crack down on democracy activists.

— E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Now, the defining image of the death penalty in 2026 is a woman strapped to a gurney, in unbearable agony, being tortured by prison officials tasked with killing her but unable to do so.

— Maya Foa, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of agony

Noun

The president talked up Jackson and Senate candidate Mike Collins as part of the White House effort to boost GOP enthusiasm in the upcoming elections.

— DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE STAFF FROM WIRE REPORTS, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026
Rowling has been staunchly critical of transgender rights activists, funding legal efforts to protect women’s rights and penning X/Twitter posts that are considered to be attacks by the trans community.

— Jake Kanter, Deadline, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of effort

Verb

Local government and outside groups have long strived to ban the popular tourist attraction that critics argue is harmful to horses’ well-being.

— Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 14 Oct. 2026
Stores plan to be thriving Hispanic community hubs Amor Collective will strive to be an event space beyond just meetings and workshops.

— Terry Tang, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of strive

Noun

Set to a downtempo bachata, the track features Lorén’s penetrating vocals filled with anguish at the impossible cycle of working endlessly to make ends meet.

— Vanessa Diaz, Rolling Stone, 15 Oct. 2026
Abrams does yeoman’s work with a character stuck in a tight spot for most of the running time, constantly grunting and gasping with a mixture of anguish and exhaustion as his body gets progressively more beat up and broken.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of anguish

Cite this Entry

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“Travail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/travail. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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