Synonyms for labored
- adjective
- American English
Definitions
- adj. 1
Expressive of strenuous effort.
At the end of the marathon, her laboured breathing told us she was exhausted.
Related words
- Other spellings
- laboured UK
Example sentences
- strained Yanni and Skura have a very strained relationship.
- stilted She expresses herself in a rather stilted manner.
- overwrought At the funeral, the widow was overwrought with grief.
- studied He studied hard, hardly taking time out for lunch.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| labored | rising | |
| strained | rising | |
| stilted | rising | |
| overwrought | rising | |
| studied | falling | |
| bookish | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 5 letters
- heavy2, stiff1
- 7 letters
- studied2, awkward2, stilted2, bookish2
- 8 letters
- strained1
- 9 letters
- elaborate3, unnatural4, effortful
- 11 letters
- overwrought3
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (heavy2 = 2 syllables).