hard labor

noun

: compulsory labor of imprisoned criminals as a part of the prison discipline

Examples of hard labor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The country’s parliament overwhelmingly passed the measure in a landmark vote, making life sentence with hard labor the highest penalty that can be imposed. — Mohamad El Chamaa, Washington Post, 11 Aug. 2026 Accused of murder and sentenced to death, Giovanni avoided the guillotine after his punishment was commuted to hard labor. — Emiliano De Pablos, Variety, 4 Aug. 2026 Harvesting homegrown vegetables is infinitely fulfilling; that’s when all your hard labor planting and caring for the plants pays off. — Amy Brightfield, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 July 2026 In 1852, he was sentenced to eighteen months of hard labor for stealing five gallons of rum. — Literary Hub, 10 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for hard labor

Word History

First Known Use

1651, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hard labor was in 1651

Rhymes for hard labor

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Browse Nearby Words

hard knocks
hard labor
hard-laid
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hard labor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hard%20labor. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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Legal Definition

hard labor

noun
: compulsory labor imposed upon prisoners as part of a sentence or as prison discipline
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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