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laborious Synonyms
Another word for laborious
Choosing another word for laborious depends on context, so the 24 synonyms and similar words below are separated across 3 exact definitions and ranked by match strength.
• adjective (Context 1)
Requiring considerable time, effort, and perseverance; wearisome and taxing to perform.
Usage Example
"Restoring the ancient manuscript was a slow, arduous process that took the conservation team nearly three years."
Strongest
arduous
toilsome
strenuous
grueling
Strong
onerous
taxing
painstaking
backbreaking
demanding
herculean
• adjective (Context 2)
Showing obvious signs of effort and lacking natural fluency or spontaneity (especially of speech, writing, or artistic style).
Usage Example
"His early essays were marred by a labored prose style that made even simple arguments feel heavy and unnatural."
Strongest
labored
ponderous
plodding
Strong
strained
stilted
forced
heavy-handed
wooden
• adjective (Context 3)
Accustomed to or diligent in hard work (of a person); industrious.
Usage Example
"The historian described the early settlers as a frugal and industrious people who cleared the dense forests by hand."
Strongest
industrious
hardworking
diligent
assiduous
Strong
sedulous
tireless
Opposites of laborious
The opposite of laborious shifts depending on context. Common opposites include:
effortless
lazy
easy
indolent
fluent
natural
idle
slothful
• Nearby Words
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Synonyms for Laborious. In Wordmom Thesaurus. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/synonyms/laborious