Labored

/ˈleɪ.bərd/

Meaning & Definition

verb

Past tense of 'labor'; to work hard or exert oneself.

She labored for hours in the garden, determined to finish her landscaping project.

adjective

Characterized by or showing effort or difficulty; not easy or natural.

His labored breathing signaled that he was struggling to keep up during the marathon.

Done with great effort or exertion; not effortless.

The presentation was well-researched but felt labored, lacking spontaneity.

Involving or employing extensive effort or work.

The labored attempt at humor fell flat with the audience.

From the past participle of labor, from Old French 'laborer', derived from Latin 'laborare' meaning 'to work'.

labored breathing:

Breathing that is difficult or requires effort.

labored effort:

An effort that is made with great difficulty or struggle.

To work hard or excessively on something, often to the point of exhaustion.

I've been labored all week to finish this project.

To struggle with something in a way that is overly dramatic or exaggerated.

Stop labored-ing over that simple task!