travails 1 of 2

noun

plural of travail
1
as in pains
a state of great suffering of body or mind no greater travail than that of parents who have suffered the death of a child

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2
as in efforts
very hard or unpleasant work these villagers now have decent housing, so our travail has not been in vain

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3
as in childbirths
the act or process of giving birth to children a midwife assisted her throughout her long travail

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travails

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of travail
as in struggles
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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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 travails
Noun
Given the travails of Bessent, its contents will make interesting reading. — John Cassidy, New Yorker, 24 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 Another young woman named Maurine Dallas Watkins reported Annan’s expedited travails through Cook County’s legal system for the Tribune. — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2026 The country’s tragic 21st-century travails provide much of the fodder for the couple’s drama in director Cyril Aris’ moving film, including whether to stay or emigrate, with touches of magical realism and whimsy providing levity. — David Faris, TheWeek, 6 July 2026 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 Its current travails are likely to be a model for the nation too. — David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 11 June 2026 But through all the travails of a second consecutive 10th-place finish, developmental strides were made, tangible growth spurts for what could follow. — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 13 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for travails
  1. pains
  2. efforts
  3. childbirths
  4. struggles
  5. distresses
  6. labors
  7. deliveries
  8. strives
Noun
  • Nielsen has taken great pains to caution that there is no guarantee that ratings gains will accompany these changes, which are being implemented to further improve the accuracy of its data gathering.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 19 Aug. 2026
  • If an infected person has trouble breathing, persistent chest pains or pressure, loses consciousness or sudden confusion, call 911.
    — Hali Smith, Idaho Statesman, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of pains
Noun
  • Minneola City Councilman David Yeager’s efforts to annex his new home into the city earlier this summer sparked a nasty debate on the council that led to two members being censured last week for incivility.
    — James Wilkins, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Search and rescue efforts are only just beginning, and these first hours are filled with uncertainty, but also with hope.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of efforts
Noun
  • Congo's has among the world's highest rates of both childbirths per woman and deaths around childbirth.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Many women may not be aware at all that private details of their childbirths were shared with law enforcement.
    — Shoshana Walter, CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of childbirths
Verb
  • Las Vegas struggles to generate second chances without her on the court.
    — Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Huang also pushed back against concerns that Nvidia could be left on the hook if one of those companies struggles.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of struggles
Noun
  • Pain, infection, medication side effects, and other physical and emotional distresses may be expressed through shouting, intimidating gestures, kicking, pushing, or punching.
    — Jordan Rau, NPR, 19 July 2026
Definition of distresses
Noun
  • Exclusion generates the prestige toward which unpaid labors strive.
    — M. C. Mah, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Do not restrict yourself from enjoying the rewards of your labors.
    — Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of labors
Noun
  • The National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company (NIOPDC) has said the country’s fuel supply chain remains stable, and the shortages and long lines are being caused by rumors that lead to panic buying, as well as delays in fuel deliveries.
    — Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Every day, volunteers and (the few) employees check in clients, process deliveries, sort thousands of pounds of food, package hundreds of boxes and allocate them to clients while simultaneously preparing for the following day’s distribution.
    — Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of deliveries
Verb
  • Chesney called Martin an unbelievable leader and said that his energy will give people a window into what his program strives to look like.
    — Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Thuso Mbedu stars as Zélie, who strives to bring back magic to her kingdom.
    — Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of strives

Browse Nearby Words

travailing
travails
travel
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Cite this Entry

“Travails.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/travails. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

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