painstaking
2 synonyms and 1 antonym for painstaking, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adjective — Done with great care and thorough attention to detail.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
How to use painstaking
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
painstaking detail
painstaking research
painstaking effort
Etymology
Built from "pains" (effort) plus "taking," from the phrase "take pains." Because it's commonly pronounced as if it were "pain-staking," some speakers mistakenly assume it relates to a stake rather than to careful effort.
Full origin of painstaking →Frequently asked questions
What does “painstaking” mean?
The word “painstaking” means done with great care and thorough attention to detail. In plain terms, extremely careful and thorough, often to the point of being slow.
How do you pronounce “painstaking”?
“Painstaking” is pronounced PAYNZ-tay-kihng (/ˈpeɪnˌsteɪkɪŋ/ in IPA).
How do you use “painstaking” in a sentence?
Here is “painstaking” used in a sentence: “Restoring the painting required painstaking work over several months.”
What part of speech is “painstaking”?
“Painstaking” is an adjective.
