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Labored Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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labored

la-bored

🇺🇸 /ˈɫeɪbɝd/

Definition

Context #1 | Adjective

effortful activity

The term 'labored' refers to something that is done with great effort or difficulty. It often describes a process or activity that is strenuous or requires significant exertion. For example, a person may have a labored breathing pattern when they are experiencing distress or physical hardship. In other contexts, it can be used to refer to work that seems forced or unnatural, such as writing or speech that feels awkward. Overall, the term captures a sense of struggle associated with an action.

Synonyms

arduous, difficult, forced, strenuous.

Examples of usage

  • He took labored steps up the hill.
  • Her labored speech indicated her exhaustion.
  • The artist's labored brush strokes conveyed his frustration.

Translations

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Quick facts about “labored”

Labored is a 2-syllable adjective (la-bored). It is pronounced /ˈɫeɪbɝd/. On finesentence.com it has 1 meaning, 4 synonyms, and translations into 21 languages. It ranks #12,006 among the most common English words.

Origin of 'labored'

The word 'labored' originates from the Middle English 'labouren', which itself comes from the Old French 'laborer' and the Latin 'laborare', meaning 'to labor' or 'to toil'. The root 'labor' is traced back to the Proto-Indo-European *lɛbʰ-, which means 'to work'. Over the centuries, the concept of labor has evolved to include physical effort as well as the mental exertion involved in tasks. In different historical contexts, labor has been linked to various forms of work, from agriculture to industry. The use of 'labored' in English often suggests a sense of struggle or difficulty in executing a task, reflecting the inherent challenges associated with laborious activities.

Rhymes

Labored rhymes with belabored.

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Word Frequency Rank

Ranked #12,006, this word falls into high-advanced vocabulary. It appears less frequently but is valuable for expressing precise meanings in specific contexts.