labor
noun
productive activity, especially for the sake of economic gain.
had labored
-
past perfectof labor.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Her brother had labored to secure White House approval for the bill.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
Champagne corks popped as the weary team of experimenters, who had labored long and hard to make the achievement possible, celebrated their accomplishment.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 4, 2024
For some of those looking on from a nearby boat, the driving in of the first piling marked a milestone they had labored to reach for two decades.
From New York Times ● Jun. 27, 2023
Dockworkers at 29 Pacific Coast ports stretching from California to Washington state, who had labored without a contract since July 1, had been seeking a bigger share of pandemic cargo surge profits and retroactive pay.
From Reuters ● Jun. 15, 2023
Mr. Muhammad gave me warm praise when Minister Lemuel Hassan told how hard I had labored in the cause of Islam.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
