LABORIOUS Synonyms: 172 Similar and Opposite Words

laborious

adjective

lə-ˈbȯr-ē-əs

Definition of laborious

as in diligent

involved in often constant activity the volunteers have been commendably laborious in their cleanup of the beach

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in difficult

requiring considerable physical or mental effort the laborious task of cleaning up the oil spill

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in challenging

requiring much time, effort, or careful attention that report is the product of months of laborious research

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 laborious This process eliminates the costly and laborious step of sorting plastic waste before recycling. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 16 July 2026 Additionally, tracing back what infected someone can be a laborious process. — ABC News, 9 July 2026 Hader survived a laborious outing to strand the bases loaded in the ninth, Paredes tied the game with a solo home run in the eighth and Walker won it with a three-run shot in the 10th. — Chandler Rome, New York Times, 29 June 2026 Meanwhile, Hyundai Motor Company is racing to mass manufacture humanoid robots developed by its subsidiary, Boston Dynamics, so that the robotic workers can start taking over certain laborious tasks in automotive factories and other workplaces. — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for laborious

Recent Examples of Synonyms for laborious

Adjective

Dark circles happen, acne pops up, and dark spots can even appear despite diligent sunscreen use.

— Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 14 Aug. 2026
Grooming and health matter A Maine coon’s lush coat requires diligent upkeep.

— Pat Mueller, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of diligent

Adjective

The shortcomings of Usman and Dvalishvili, future Hall of Famers, only point to how difficult the historic mark was to reach.

— Mark Puleo, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
The Teamsters have been enthusiastically endorsing the bill specifically because, while 40-something employers would be difficult to collectively bargain against, DSP workers would be much easier to organize once within Amazon.

— Tiana Lowe Doescher, The Washington Examiner, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of difficult

Adjective

The champion faced a challenging opponent, as Garry forced him to work hard for seven takedowns and inflicted some facial damage.

— Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026
The current outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo Ebola virus, is unfolding in some of the most challenging conditions imaginable.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of challenging

Adjective

Perhaps a Sunday evening after peak usage time, before a busy week ahead.

— Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 20 Aug. 2026
The incident comes as Colorado experiences a sharp increase in bear activity fueled by poor natural food conditions, prompting officials to urge people to take extra precautions during the busy late-summer season.

— Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of busy

Adjective

With men on first and third and nobody out that inning, second baseman Jackson Holliday fielded a tough grounder and threw to second, but shortstop Gunnar Henderson dropped the ball for an error and everyone was safe.

— CBS News, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
As for footwear sales in the region, the second quarter saw a slowdown of sales of high-heat product, alongside tougher comparatives and ongoing softness in end-of-cycle footwear product lines.

— Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of tough

Adjective

The jury was listening intently and looking at the screen as the story of the shooting unfolded, more engaged after already listening to hours of the recording.

— Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
Say what has changed, ask what still works, and suggest a flexible next step that gives both people space to stay engaged.

— Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of engaged

Adjective

Building trust requires a strong data foundation, rigorous quality standards and clear visibility into how insights are generated.

— David Tobias, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Every personal finance product review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of mortgage products.

— Kelsey Neubauer, CNBC, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of rigorous

Browse Nearby Words

laboring

laborious

laboriously

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Style

“Laborious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laborious. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of laborious

adjective

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