emotional labor

American  

[ih-moh-shuh-nl ley-ber] / ɪˈmoʊ ʃə nl ˈleɪ bər /

noun

1. the sum of small acts performed by one person to make other people’s lives more pleasant and to protect them from negativity, including hiding the effort required to do so.

2. the suppression of negative emotion and the assumption of a polite and cheerful facade at work, especially by employees in the service industry, as waitstaff, flight attendants, sales clerks, etc.

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Etymology

Origin of emotional labor

First recorded in 1980–85

Example Sentences

Teachers must also shoulder emotional labor in addition to knowing their subject, whether it’s history, math or English, inside out.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 9, 2026

Moving forward, my emotional labor is to make sure that I remain full — full of creativity, joy, faith, emotional health, esteem, curiosity, rest, courage and the vibrancy of life itself.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 4, 2025

To move forward, Damiata suggests asking yourself if you are taking on more chores and emotional labor than you feasibly can.

From Slate • Dec. 8, 2023

I think about power dynamics a lot, the inequities and the emotional labor and the heavy lifting more vulnerable people have to do.

From Salon • Aug. 27, 2023

She could not determine whether she was checked by fear or him, or by inertia—by dislike of the emotional labor of the "scenes" which would be involved in asserting independence.

From Main Street by Lewis, Sinclair