toil 1 of 3

toil

2 of 3

noun (2)

as in tangle
usually toils plural something that catches and holds a married woman hopelessly caught in the toils of an extramarital affair

Synonyms & Similar Words

toil

3 of 3

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun toil contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of toil are drudgery, grind, labor, travail, and work. While all these words mean "activity involving effort or exertion," toil implies prolonged and fatiguing labor.

his lot would be years of back-breaking toil

When would drudgery be a good substitute for toil?

Although the words drudgery and toil have much in common, drudgery suggests dull and irksome labor.

an editorial job with a good deal of drudgery

When might grind be a better fit than toil?

The words grind and toil can be used in similar contexts, but grind implies labor exhausting to mind or body.

the grind of the assembly line

Where would labor be a reasonable alternative to toil?

The words labor and toil are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, labor applies to physical or intellectual work involving great and often strenuous exertion.

farmers demanding fair compensation for their labor

When could travail be used to replace toil?

While the synonyms travail and toil are close in meaning, travail is bookish for labor involving pain or suffering.

years of travail were lost when the house burned

When is it sensible to use work instead of toil?

The meanings of work and toil largely overlap; however, 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 toil
Noun
Daisy, and a motley group of co-workers, toil in a cottage industry of agencies that evaluate harmful and offensive pictures and videos uploaded to social media. Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 7 Mar. 2025 Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society. Kristan Hawkins, Newsweek, 6 Feb. 2025
Verb
Alien is an especially relevant touchpoint, as one of the earliest blockbusters to present toiling away in the cosmos not as an adventure but as a gig like any other. David Sims, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2025 Trent Taylor and Russell Gage are veterans under minimum contract who mostly toiled on the practice squad last year. Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for toil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toil
Verb
  • With many left homeless by the quake, and many others staying away from their homes because of fears that ongoing aftershocks will bring them down, workers in Naypyidaw labored in the 104 F heat to busily erect big tents in open fields to provide some shelter.
    David Rising, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2025
  • The glorious future of the nation depends on everyone laboring at a fast pace, with no time to slow down and question what’s happening.
    Charlie Tyson, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The Royals struggled to pick up his sweeper and slider combination.
    Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 5 Apr. 2025
  • Atlanta's lineup has struggled tremendously this season, and using Elder as a trade piece to bring in a big-time hitter would be pretty smart.
    Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The Grand Slams have certainly increased their compensation as each strives to make their experience bigger and better.
    Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
  • Passionate about Jewish education and social justice, Olga strives to connect individuals and communities with opportunities to make a difference and support the sustainability of Jewish nonprofits.
    Olga & Igor Alterman, Sun Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The pair worked closely together while Dolan was on the board of directors for Catholic Charities Twin Cities from 2012 to 2017.
    Brian Brant, People.com, 2 Apr. 2025
  • Jonah Bride worked the count full before getting ball 4, and Graham Pauley cleared the bases with a deep double to left field.
    Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 2 Apr. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Toil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toil. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.

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