1
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
faced with the toilsome task of cleaning out her deceased father's homestead
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in challenging
requiring much time, effort, or careful attention
this is the most toilsome part of the construction, so we'll go slowly to make sure we're doing it right
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of toilsome
Meanwhile, Republicans lacked the votes to pass anything so their amendments tended to be trollish and toilsome fliers meant to either own the libs or just annoy the legislators.
—
Matt Ford, The New Republic, 9 Aug. 2022
Though the third quarter was significantly better for Netflix than its previous quarter, the company signaled that there could be toilsome times ahead.
—Natalie Jarvey, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Oct. 2019
Matt Ford, The New Republic, 9 Aug. 2022
Though the third quarter was significantly better for Netflix than its previous quarter, the company signaled that there could be toilsome times ahead.
—Natalie Jarvey, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Oct. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toilsome
Adjective
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But with the Lightning taking back home-ice advantage with this win and the series shifting back to Tampa, where Cooper will have full control of the matchup, the task becomes that much more difficult for the Suzuki line.—
Arpon Basu,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Tornadoes are extremely difficult to see and confirm at night.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Last year, Blackstone President and COO Jon Gray also told new analysts that working hard and being collaborative are essential skills for success in today’s challenging job market.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
29 Apr. 2026
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These Yiddish phrases have gotten me through many challenging situations.—
Gilda Dangot-Simpkin,
Sun Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Every personal finance review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of personal finance products.—
Liz Knueven,
CNBC,
2 May 2026
-
The process began with a rigorous study and a series of strategic partnerships.—
FMG Studios,
Footwear News,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
Reliable Service as an Operational Standard Clients in Dallas-Fort Worth should expect something more demanding than friendliness and something less theatrical than branding.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
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The dual-motor setup targets higher output and improved traction for more demanding driving conditions.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Lightly coated with oil and tossed occasionally in a searing hot skillet or wok, even tough beans turn silky, and ready to coat in a finishing blast of chiles.—
The Bon Appétit Staff,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
1 May 2026
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Comfortable travel can be achieved with stretchy, breathable pants, but securing a pair that hits those marks while looking stylish can be tough.—
Rachel Trujillo,
Travel + Leisure,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Once Chevrolet gets a handle on its new car, that should help Trackhouse and RCR rebound, but in the meantime, the path forward for each is an arduous one.—
Jordan Bianchi,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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Passing legislation in this manner, known as reconciliation, is an arduous process, requiring the cooperation of nearly every Republican in both chambers to proceed.—
Tami Luhby,
CNN Money,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Without him, that identity is harder to maintain.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 May 2026
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The layout resembled a samurai sword, where the hardest material is concentrated mainly along the cutting edge.—
Jacek Krywko,
ArsTechnica,
1 May 2026
Adjective
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In his first competitive outing since being sidelined with arm fatigue, Imai threw 59 pitches across two laborious innings during a minor-league rehab appearance with Double-A Corpus Christi.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2026
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Only Connelly Early has been consistently solid, but even two of his outings so far were short and laborious.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
19 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Toilsome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toilsome. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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