adj
laborious
luh-BAW-ree-uhs
Laborious (adj) means requiring a great deal of physical effort; tiring and hard work. Example: “Digging the trench by hand was a laborious task that took all day.”
adj
1
Requiring a great deal of physical effort; tiring and hard work.
"Digging the trench by hand was a laborious task that took all day."
"The coal is then transferred to broad-gauge wagons for transport to Dublin. The transhipment is a rather laborious business, the coal being shovelled by hand from one wagon to another."
— R. K. Kirkland, The Cavan & Leitrim Railway (1951)
2
Slow, difficult, and demanding careful effort mentally, rather than fun or quick.
"Translating the old manuscript was a laborious process that took months."
How to use laborious
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDescribes something that takes a lot of hard, often tedious, effort to finish.
Common pairings
laborious process
laborious task
slow and laborious
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like laborious.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Comparative
- more laborious
- Superlative
- most laborious
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Digging the trench by hand was a _____ task that took all day.
Etymology
From Old French laborios, from Latin laboriosus, built on labor, "work."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for laborious
See all rhymes for laborious →Frequently asked questions
What does “laborious” mean?
The word “laborious” means requiring a great deal of physical effort; tiring and hard work. In plain terms, describes something that takes a lot of hard, often tedious, effort to finish.
How do you pronounce “laborious”?
“Laborious” is pronounced luh-BAW-ree-uhs (/ləˈbɔːɹiəs/ in IPA).
How do you use “laborious” in a sentence?
Here is “laborious” used in a sentence: “Digging the trench by hand was a laborious task that took all day.”
What part of speech is “laborious”?
“Laborious” is an adjective.
Where does the word “laborious” come from?
The word “laborious” comes from Latin. From Old French laborios, from Latin laboriosus, built on labor, "work.".
How many meanings does “laborious” have?
“Laborious” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: requiring a great deal of physical effort; tiring and hard work.
