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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in efforts
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 childbirths
the act or process of giving birth to children
a midwife assisted her throughout her long travail
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of travails
Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 10 Jan. 2026
However the travails of some of China’s biggest companies including real estate developers have weighed on the market, while deflationary pressure may dampen future growth.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 2 Jan. 2026
In public comments to news outlets over the past year, representatives from Flow have sought to distance the company from the travails of then-Yieldstreet.
—Hugh Son, CNBC, 5 Dec. 2025
Thankfully, North of North has Anna Lambe, a Canadian Inuk actress whose warm, sympathetic presence as Siaja immediately invites you to settle into the rhythms of the coming-of-age story’s triumphs and travails.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
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
If the financial travails of Renewcell, another Swedish textile-to-textile recycler that received significant corporate buy-ins before declaring bankruptcy last year, continue to cast a long shadow, however, Finck didn’t say.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 11 Nov. 2025
Season 2 of The Office Movers launches tomorrow (November 7), following the latest travails of two brothers navigating Toronto’s commercial office moving industry.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 6 Nov. 2025
Noun
After all, how many travails can one poor family take?
—Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 10 Jan. 2026
However the travails of some of China’s biggest companies including real estate developers have weighed on the market, while deflationary pressure may dampen future growth.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 2 Jan. 2026
In public comments to news outlets over the past year, representatives from Flow have sought to distance the company from the travails of then-Yieldstreet.
—Hugh Son, CNBC, 5 Dec. 2025
Thankfully, North of North has Anna Lambe, a Canadian Inuk actress whose warm, sympathetic presence as Siaja immediately invites you to settle into the rhythms of the coming-of-age story’s triumphs and travails.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
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
If the financial travails of Renewcell, another Swedish textile-to-textile recycler that received significant corporate buy-ins before declaring bankruptcy last year, continue to cast a long shadow, however, Finck didn’t say.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 11 Nov. 2025
Season 2 of The Office Movers launches tomorrow (November 7), following the latest travails of two brothers navigating Toronto’s commercial office moving industry.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 6 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for travails
Noun
-
In fact, Williams took great pains to establish that his primary objective is building the Terps (7-7, 0-3 Big Ten), not tearing down a 21-year-old prospect, the Bears or the sport’s governing body.—
Edward Lee,
Baltimore Sun,
3 Jan. 2026
-
Those in their fifties and beyond require the same amount of sleep as younger adults—and may actually benefit from sleeping more to offset nightly wake-ups from aches and pains, medication side effects, or dealing with the need to urinate more frequently in the middle of the night.—
Emma Loewe,
Outside,
1 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Blocking mergers to protect luxury handbag markets or attacking low-margin grocers for price gouging were misplaced efforts.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Time,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Supervisor Kathryn Barger's office, which represents the Eaton Fire burn scar communities, said she has been briefed by the EPA on the soil testing efforts.—
Nicole Comstock,
CBS News,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
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In some Michigan counties, Medicaid covers more than half of all childbirths.—
Kristen Jordan Shamus,
Freep.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Unable to pay her rent, she was later evicted and now struggles to come up with the $1,900 for her new place.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
13 Jan. 2026
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Harper, for her part, struggles to publicly defend a market position that’s based on a hunch and backed up by espionage.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In the studio with artist Anselm Kiefer (Video) In this web exclusive CBS News got a glimpse at the labors of German artist Anselm Kiefer, considered one of the world's most important living painters.—
David Morgan,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
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But the attention the episode pays to her labors the next day to secure Helen’s grace is a great example of Gillian’s slow-burn style paying off.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
26 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Through educational programs, community outreach and strategic resource management, the district strives to ensure sustainable groundwater supply for current and future generations.—
Claire Marks,
Austin American Statesman,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Zermatt strives to be a high-class mountain resort, but for active guests.—
Rick Steves,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
This is a childhood that had all its ordinariness burned out of it by the linking of even seemingly trivial gestures (an offering of candy, a bath, a swim, the dust in a corner of a room) to an entire array of physical and mental agonies.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
How Tielemans overcame early toils is often used as a source of encouragement by new additions who seem peripheral at first.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Travails.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/travails. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.
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