laborious
adjective
la·bo·ri·ous
lə-ˈbȯr-ē-əs 
1
a
: involving, requiring, or characterized by hard and sustained effort : arduous
Overland travel was not an adventurous communal leap, but a laborious, individual trek.—
Daniel J. Boorstin
Daniel J. BoorstinMaking a telescope mirror is a long and laborious process.—David Devoss and Eric Sander
David Devoss and Eric Sander
b
: characterized by long, detailed elaboration : tedious
Much of the middle of the book is a laborious account of the scouring of the ocean floor that led to the discovery of the Titanic.—The Economist
The Economist2
: devoted to labor : industrious
We have the greatest riches, the greatest fertility, … the most laborious population.—Joseph Conrad
Joseph Conrad
laboriously
adverb
laboriousness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of laborious in a Sentence
a slow and laborious process
the volunteers have been commendably laborious in their cleanup of the beach
Recent Examples on the Web
But the efforts have also targeted stores that went through the laborious process to become licensed dealers.
—Andrew Wimer, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2025
Any attempt to short-circuit the laborious process of proposing new regulations that includes seeking comments from the public will almost surely invite credible legal challenges.
—Jack Ewing, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2025
In the decades before editing software, this was a laborious task that required splicing frames and repeatedly running footage through big Steenbeck flatbed machines.
—Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2025
As may be expected, gathering and putting all the evidence together can be a laborious process.
—Aaron J. Masino, The Conversation, 10 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for laborious 
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Andrew Wimer, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2025
Any attempt to short-circuit the laborious process of proposing new regulations that includes seeking comments from the public will almost surely invite credible legal challenges.
—Jack Ewing, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2025
In the decades before editing software, this was a laborious task that required splicing frames and repeatedly running footage through big Steenbeck flatbed machines.
—Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2025
As may be expected, gathering and putting all the evidence together can be a laborious process.
—Aaron J. Masino, The Conversation, 10 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for laborious
Dictionary Entries Near laborious
Cite this Entry
“Laborious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/laborious. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
laborious
adjective
la·bo·ri·ous
lə-ˈbōr-ē-əs
-ˈbȯr-
1
: devoted to work : industrious
2
: requiring hard effort
laboriously
adverb
laboriousness
noun
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