labor 1 of 2

noun

ˈlā-bər How to pronounce labor (audio)
Definition of labornext
1
as in job
a dull, unpleasant, or difficult piece of work one of the labors of Hercules in classical mythology was to clean out the stables of King Augeas

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in effort
the active use of energy in producing a result a superhuman amount of labor must have gone into designing and building the pyramids of Egypt

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in toil
very hard or unpleasant work a political dissident forced to do six months of hard labor in the salt mines as punishment

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in childbirth
the act or process of giving birth to children the mother's labor lasted for six hours

Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in production
something produced by physical or intellectual effort a small, personal film that was clearly a labor of love for the director and actors

Synonyms & Similar Words

labor

2 of 2

verb

as in to struggle
to devote serious and sustained effort the young lawyer labored most of the weekend over the difficult legal brief

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun labor contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of labor are drudgery, grind, toil, travail, and work. While all these words mean "activity involving effort or exertion," labor applies to physical or intellectual work involving great and often strenuous exertion.

farmers demanding fair compensation for their labor

Where would drudgery be a reasonable alternative to labor?

The words drudgery and labor can be used in similar contexts, but drudgery suggests dull and irksome labor.

an editorial job with a good deal of drudgery

When is it sensible to use grind instead of labor?

The words grind and labor are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, grind implies labor exhausting to mind or body.

the grind of the assembly line

When might toil be a better fit than labor?

The synonyms toil and labor are sometimes interchangeable, but toil implies prolonged and fatiguing labor.

his lot would be years of back-breaking toil

When could travail be used to replace labor?

While in some cases nearly identical to labor, travail is bookish for labor involving pain or suffering.

years of travail were lost when the house burned

When would work be a good substitute for labor?

Although the words work and labor have much in common, work may imply activity of body, of mind, of a machine, or of a natural force.

too tired to do any work

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 labor
Noun
Maine's largest non-profit health system voted to close Lincoln Hospital's labor and delivery unit in the rural coastal town of Damariscotta last week. — Kristin Wright, NPR, 11 Aug. 2026 Union and district leaders have pushed back against the county letter, including its characterization of the labor agreements as unaffordable. — Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026
Verb
With little formal education, Mulholland had left his native Ireland in his teens, worked steamer ships on the Great Lakes, labored in lumber camps and prospected for gold. — Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026 Tidwell labored through the first inning, allowing two runs and throwing 32 pitches. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for labor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for labor
  1. job
  2. effort
  3. toil
  4. childbirth
  5. production
  6. struggle
  7. headache
  8. work
Noun
  • The Republican nominee also said the work agreements that allow many state employees to perform their jobs remotely need reform as well.
    — Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 14 Aug. 2026
  • In 2004, Norris took a job as an editorial manager of publications at the Joint Commission in Oakbrook Terrace.
    — Bob Goldsborough, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of job
Noun
  • Albeit in an uncompetitive effort, the Falcons’ 27-7 loss to the Broncos in the preseason opener Friday night offered a glimpse at a vast majority of the team’s roster.
    — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 15 Aug. 2026
  • General manager Omar Khan has made a concerted effort to build through the trenches on offense and defense.
    — Mike DeFabo, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of effort
Noun
  • With debts racking up, Ina loses the family’s bus company, forcing her to shift between jobs, from construction to becoming a bar entertainer, therefore forging an identity through toil.
    — Lé Baltar, IndieWire, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Innovation has long relied on the integrity of inventors to ensure the authenticity of their creativity and toil.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of toil
Noun
  • Postpartum psychosis Postpartum psychosis ranks as one of the rarest and most severe mental health disorders associated with childbirth.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Postpartum depression affects roughly 1 in 7 to 1 in 8 women after childbirth, making it among the most common complications of pregnancy.
    — Jamie Maguire, STAT, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of childbirth
Noun
  • But that’s not the reality for many content creators, who are working on media production, audience retention strategies, brand partnerships and business relationships associated with their online presence.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • O'Neal said the production's overall look comes from collaboration among the lighting, costume, sound and projection designers, along with the rest of the creative team.
    — Dillon Thomas, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of production
Verb
  • According to the court document, the fraud scheme started with recruiting young women who were homeless or struggling with addiction, housing or finances.
    — Adam Duxter, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Even as Brandon Marsh struggled against lefties, he was allowed to hit against tough relievers late in games.
    — Charlotte Varnes, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of struggle
Noun
  • AutoCamp is also a short walk to the main drag, sparing guests the headache of the limited parking around shops and restaurants.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Friday provided a brief but clear reminder of what kind of headache that could be for opposing defensive coordinators.
    — Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of headache
Noun
  • Mateychuk is an excellent skater, with clear NHL edge work and speed to be able to skate pucks up ice, evade pressure and close on checks.
    — Corey Pronman, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The office's own work plan called for reviewing the rail authority's change-order process by July 2026 — including a $500 million-plus construction change order settlement.
    — Julie Watts, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of work

Phrases Containing labor

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labile
labor
labor camp
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Cite this Entry

“Labor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/labor. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on labor

Nglish: Translation of labor for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about labor

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