laborious

adjective

la·​bo·​ri·​ous lə-ˈbȯr-ē-əs How to pronounce laborious (audio)
1
a
: involving, requiring, or characterized by hard and sustained effort : arduous
Overland travel was not an adventurous communal leap, but a laborious, individual trek.Daniel J. Boorstin
Making a telescope mirror is a long and laborious process.David Devoss and Eric Sander
b
: characterized by long, detailed elaboration : tedious
Much of the middle of the book is a laborious account of the scouring of the ocean floor that led to the discovery of the Titanic.The Economist
2
: devoted to labor : industrious
We have the greatest riches, the greatest fertility, … the most laborious population.Joseph Conrad
laboriously adverb
laboriousness noun

Examples of laborious in a Sentence

a slow and laborious process the volunteers have been commendably laborious in their cleanup of the beach
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.
In many cases, noteworthy patient information and diagnostic tables are often collected or denoted in paper format, frequently requiring manual scanning into an EMR followed by laborious data entry and analysis. Dr. Sai Balasubramanian, M.d., Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025 Cleaning bathrooms can be laborious: scrubbing floors, tubs, and tiles, trying to eliminate stubborn mildew stains, soap residue, and more. Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 13 Feb. 2025 Editors attending the brand’s presentations during Milan Fashion Week are often treated to immersive experiences that showcase the talented hands and the laborious process of achieving signature Santoni finishes such as velatura. Naomi Rougeau, Robb Report, 28 Feb. 2025 When the storm died out on Monday morning, crews began the laborious task of clearing the roads. Scott Haugen, Outdoor Life, 30 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for laborious

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of laborious was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Laborious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/laborious. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

laborious

adjective
la·​bo·​ri·​ous lə-ˈbōr-ē-əs How to pronounce laborious (audio)
-ˈbȯr-
1
: devoted to work : industrious
2
: requiring hard effort
laboriously adverb
laboriousness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on laborious

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!