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Definition of painstaking

painstaking

/ˈpeɪnsteɪkɪŋ/
pains · tak · ing
Adverb:painstakingly
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painstaking Lexical Profile

painstaking Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Done with or employing great care, thoroughness, and attention to detail; diligent and meticulous.

Example

"After years of painstaking research in the national archives, the historian finally uncovered the original manuscript."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
View all antonyms for painstaking

Word Nuance & Usage

Should not be misparsed as 'pains-talking' or 'paint-staking'; it derives from the idiom 'to take pains' (meaning to expend great care and effort), not from enduring physical pain.

• Nearby Words

painlessly
painlessness
pains
painstaking
painstakingly
paint
paintable

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the mid-16th century as a compound from the phrase 'to take pains,' where 'pains' retains its older sense of diligent trouble or laborious effort, ultimately from Old French 'peine' and Latin 'poena'.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Painstaking. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/painstaking
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