1
as in distress
a state of great suffering of body or mind
no greater travail than that of parents who have suffered the death of a child
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in labor
very hard or unpleasant work
these villagers now have decent housing, so our travail has not been in vain
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in childbirth
the act or process of giving birth to children
a midwife assisted her throughout her long travail
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to labor
to devote serious and sustained effort
Labor Day is the day on which we recognize those men and women who daily travail with little appreciation or compensation
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of travail
Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 15 Feb. 2025
China’s Underground Historians and Their Battle for the Future
by Ian Johnson
Sigrid Nunez
A Hero for Cro-MAGA Times
Charles Baxter’s new novel follows the moral travails of a rock-steady insurance salesman in a dystopian Ohio backwater.
—James Gleick, The New York Review of Books, 7 Feb. 2025
David Jackson, USA TODAY, 23 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for travail
Noun
But anybody who's ever been in a relationship or been torn between potential significant others can relate to the romantic travails of British singleton Bridget Jones.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 15 Feb. 2025
China’s Underground Historians and Their Battle for the Future
by Ian Johnson
Sigrid Nunez
A Hero for Cro-MAGA Times
Charles Baxter’s new novel follows the moral travails of a rock-steady insurance salesman in a dystopian Ohio backwater.
—James Gleick, The New York Review of Books, 7 Feb. 2025
Verb
Clap back:DeSantis criticizes 'daily drama' of Trump's leadership style, ratcheting up growing tensions Trump travails:Is Donald Trump being arrested?
—David Jackson, USA TODAY, 23 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for travail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for travail
Noun
-
At Yosemite, a group of protesters also hung a 30-by-50-foot U.S. flag upside down—historically a symbol of dire distress—off the side of El Capitan, the park’s iconic sheer cliff face, on February 22 to raise awareness about the administration’s cuts.—
Bailey Berg,
AFAR Media,
4 Mar. 2025
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Get ahead of a tween’s difficult feelings by recognizing the early signs of emotional distress, such as disruption in sleep and less interest in their hobbies, and reroute all-or-nothing thoughts, suggests Daniel Huy, PsyD, a clinical psychologist at Hackensack Meridian Health.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
4 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
If stricter immigration policies are enforced, this could lead to a construction labor shortage, further complicating housing affordability.—
William Lambers,
Newsweek,
10 Mar. 2025
-
The Smith Act trials sounded the death knell for the nineteen-thirties Popular Front, when Communists, Socialists, progressives, and liberals had worked together—or at least tried to—on issues such as antifascism, racial justice, and labor rights.—
Beverly Gage,
The New Yorker,
10 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
That includes a University of Houston study of maternal mortality that examines why Black, Indigenous and other people of color in the U.S. are nearly three times as likely as white women to die during pregnancy or within the first year after childbirth.—
Agnel Philip,
ProPublica,
28 Feb. 2025
-
The results were consistent among all participants, regardless of body weight or childbirth history.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Verywell Health,
15 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
England have struggled at the latter position in recent years, and with Newcastle United’s Lewis Hall out injured until next season, Spence could be Tuchel’s best option there already.—
Oliver Kay,
The Athletic,
13 Mar. 2025
-
Still, with fewer employees, the department may struggle to meet the demands of a growing number of applicants.—
Scott White,
Forbes,
13 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Just consider the agony of merging two or more sprawling thickets of technology.—
Forbes,
Forbes,
7 Mar. 2025
-
The death of this beautiful 12 year old girl and the agony of her mother and family touched our entire nation greatly.—
NPR,
NPR,
5 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Newcastle suddenly had a purpose, which has always been the basis of Howe’s efforts.—
George Caulkin,
The Athletic,
13 Mar. 2025
-
Engaging in advocacy efforts, whether by contacting lawmakers or participating in petitions, can help raise awareness of the department's critical role in higher education.—
Scott White,
Forbes,
13 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Kyiv has been striving to prove its readiness for peace while stressing that no deal can succeed without American security guarantees to deter repeat Russian aggression.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
12 Mar. 2025
-
Both China and Europe strive to be global leaders in the clean technology sector, for instance, and Chinese overproduction is threatening European industrial champions, particularly in the auto sector.—
Faisal Kutty,
Newsweek,
11 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
But last year's Olympics were also a major source of anguish.—
Christopher Intagliata,
NPR,
3 Mar. 2025
-
Every repeat viewing of Abraham's performance reveals some new moment of humiliation — some fresh sickening glimmer of anguish that feels all too familiar.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
2 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Travail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/travail. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.
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