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Definitions

labor

[ley-ber] / ˈleɪ bər /






Usage

What are other ways to say labor?

Labor particularly denotes hard manual work: backbreaking labor; arduous labor. Drudgery suggests continuous, dreary, and dispiriting work, especially of a menial or servile kind: the drudgery of household tasks.  Toil suggests wearying or exhausting labor: toil that breaks down the worker's health. Work is the general word and may apply to exertion that is either easy or hard: fun work; heavy work. 


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Moreover, Papic underlines a crucial point: energy is far less than 10% of American GDP, it employs only 5% of the labor force, but almost three quarters of the economy is consumption.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026

Pandemic-era shutdowns and labor shortages knocked the industry off balance, and while conditions has been steadily improving, production capacity still remains somewhat squeezed.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026

These changes are crucial to protect the city’s nearly 50,000 fast food workers from violence, wage theft and the denial of basic labor protections, advocates said in a news release announcing the strike.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

Fuel is the second biggest cost for airlines after labor, accounting for about 25% to 30% of total airline operating costs, according to the International Air Transport Association.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026

“Do you want to come to the labor department and the market?”

From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron




Vocabulary lists containing labor