: produced or performed with labor
labored breathing
also
: lacking ease of expression
a labored speech
Examples of labored in a Sentence
The patient's symptoms included a rapid pulse and labored breathing.
The movie's dialogue seems very labored.
Recent Examples on the Web
Two riders from the motorcycle were injured in the roadway in the wake of the crash, with at least one rider unconscious with labored breathing, according to CHP traffic logs.
—
City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025
In its determination to make its point, Joni’s Jazz is a labor of love that still feels a little labored.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 5 Sep. 2025
Falter labored through his relief appearance Friday night.
—Kansas City Star, 24 Aug. 2025
To the detriment of the proceedings late in the second act, there is a wad of exposition gristle that brings things full stop in the form of a labored revelation of why Diamond is such a grump and perhaps maybe won’t be one in the future.
—Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for labored
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City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025
In its determination to make its point, Joni’s Jazz is a labor of love that still feels a little labored.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 5 Sep. 2025
Falter labored through his relief appearance Friday night.
—Kansas City Star, 24 Aug. 2025
To the detriment of the proceedings late in the second act, there is a wad of exposition gristle that brings things full stop in the form of a labored revelation of why Diamond is such a grump and perhaps maybe won’t be one in the future.
—Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for labored
Cite this Entry
“Labored.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/labored. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
labored
adjective
la·bored
ˈlā-bərd 
: produced or performed with difficulty or strain
labored breathing
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