1
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
2
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
3
as in childbirth
the act or process of giving birth to children
a midwife assisted her throughout her long travail
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of travail
Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Nov. 2025
After the travails of the last decade, however, that era of hope feels like a distant memory.
—Ben Wedeman, CNN Money, 30 Nov. 2025
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
Noun
Despite the recent travails in La Liga, Real came from behind to seal a dramatic 4-3 Champions League win at Greek outfit Olympiakos on Wednesday.
—Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Nov. 2025
After the travails of the last decade, however, that era of hope feels like a distant memory.
—Ben Wedeman, CNN Money, 30 Nov. 2025
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 plaintiff seeks damages for privacy invasion, emotional distress, reputational harm and alleged placement on government watch lists.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The initial wave of relief soon lifted, giving way to distress when Franco learned his home was uninhabitable.—
Joy Benedict,
CBS News,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The company says the system aims to tackle persistent challenges in the hospitality industry, including labor shortages, inconsistent drink quality, and long service times.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Jan. 2026
-
What started as labor strikes and merchant protests over currency collapse and inflation has expanded into widespread street demonstrations and student protests.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
This personalized service provides one-on-one guidance throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum, helping families schedule appointments, coordinate care, find resources, and navigate insurance questions.—
MemorialCare Medical Group,
Oc Register,
10 Jan. 2026
-
This type of disability coverage is commonly used during recovery from surgery, an accident or childbirth.—
Liz Knueven,
CNBC,
31 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
And problems continue despite the flight cancellations designed to relieve stress on controllers struggling to deal with the shutdown.—
Emma Tucker,
CNN Money,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Entry-level workers experiment freely and the C-suite sees strategic value, yet middle managers often struggle to bridge the gap.—
Feon Ang,
Fortune,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The dramatic arc of the film’s first half — filled with the ecstasy of God’s embrace and the agony of imprisonment — is told through musical numbers, adapted from the Shakers’ ecstatic worship, dance, hymns, and music (watch the video above to learn more).—
Chris O'Falt,
IndieWire,
7 Jan. 2026
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One year before Ingri and Edgar Parin D’Aulaire published their compendium of Greek myths, Cicellis released her second work of fiction, The Way to Colonos, which ruthlessly dramatizes the limits of individual freedom and the agony of facing one’s powerlessness.—
Rachel Vorona Cote,
The Atlantic,
5 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Her defensive effort led to a transition 3-pointer for Maddie Scherr that electrified the home crowd for TCU.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Jan. 2026
-
There is currently no information about the containment efforts for the fire and its cause has yet to be determined.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Mike, played by a rangy, companionable Hugh Jackman, is a striving singer in Milwaukee who has battled the bottle, cannot consistently pay his mortgage, and keeps himself going by appearing at the state fair dressed up to look (and sound) like Don Ho.—
Peter Tonguette,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
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Everybody loves putting on those Nora Efron classics, and the filmmakers here were striving to make something that was a modern answer to those that was in discussion with When Harry Met Sally and those greats.—
Nicole Fell,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
No adolescent defiance or child’s anguish was visible on his face now.—
George Packer,
The Atlantic,
6 Nov. 2025
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Some critics called for more editorial discipline in the film, or found Lawrence’s onscreen spin cycle of anguish, which involves literally clawing her way up walls or flinging herself through glass doors, to be repetitive.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Travail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/travail. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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