labor

American  

[ley-ber] / ˈleɪ bər /

especially British, labour

noun

labors plural

1. productive activity, especially for the sake of economic gain.

   Antonyms:

   rest, leisure, idleness

2. the body of persons engaged in such activity, especially those working for wages.

   Synonyms:

   working class

3. this body of persons considered as a class (distinguished from management andcapital ).

4. physical or mental work, especially of a hard or fatiguing kind; toil.

   Synonyms:

   exertion

   Antonyms:

   rest, leisure, idleness

5. a job or task done or to be done.

6. the physical effort and periodic uterine contractions of childbirth.

   Synonyms:

   delivery, parturition

7. the interval from the onset of these contractions to childbirth.

8. Also called Labor Department.  Informal. Labor. the Department of Labor.

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verb (used without object)

labors, present (3rd person singular) labored, past participle, past laboring present participle

1. to perform labor; exert one's powers of body or mind; work; toil.

   Synonyms:

   drudge

   Antonyms:

   rest

2. to strive, as toward a goal; work hard (often followed byfor ).

   to labor for peace.

3. to act, behave, or function at a disadvantage (usually followed byunder ).

   to labor under a misapprehension.

4. to be in the actual process of giving birth.

5. to roll or pitch heavily, as a ship.

verb (used with object)

labors, present (3rd person singular) labored, past participle, past laboring present participle

1. to develop or dwell on in excessive detail.

   Don't labor the point.

   Synonyms:

   overdo, belabor

2. to burden or tire.

   to labor the reader with unnecessary detail.

3. British Dialect. to work or till (soil or the like).

adjective

1. of or relating to workers, their associations, or working conditions.

   labor reforms.

labor British  

/ ˈleɪbə /

verb

1. the US spelling of labour

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labor Scientific  

/ lā′bər /

1. The process by which the birth of a mammal occurs, beginning with contractions of the uterus and ending with the expulsion of the fetus and the placenta.

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labor Cultural  

1. The physical processes at the end of a normal pregnancy, including opening of the cervix and contractions of the uterus, that lead to the birth of the baby.

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Usage

What are other ways to say labor? Labor refers to mental or physical work, especially that which is hard or fatiguing. When should you use labor instead of work, drudgery, or toil? Find out on Thesaurus.com.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• prelabor
  noun
• antilabor
  adjective
• laborless
  adjective
• nonlabor
  adjective
• prolabor
  adjective
• unlaboring
  adjective
• laboringly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• labors
  plural

Participles

• laboring
  present
• labored
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• labor
  simple
• labors
  simple
• have labored
  perfect
• has labored
  perfect
• am laboring
  progressive
• are laboring
  progressive
• is laboring
  progressive
• have been laboring
  perfect progressive
• has been laboring
  perfect progressive

Past

• labored
  simple
• had labored
  perfect
• was laboring
  progressive
• were laboring
  progressive
• had been laboring
  perfect progressive

Future

• will labor
  simple
• will have labored
  perfect
• will be laboring
  progressive
• will have been laboring
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of labor

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English labour, from Old French, from Latin labōr- (stem of labor ) “work”

Explanation

Although the word labor seems to suggest tough, physical work that makes you sweat, any type of work, whether physical or mental, can be considered labor. Labor is usually associated with very hard, physical work, suggesting fatigue and aching muscles. In fact, a woman giving birth is said to be in labor, giving true meaning to the phrase "labor of love." The word can also be used as a verb, as in "He had to labor many years to pay off his debt." That sense of hard work fits in with the Labor Party of some nations, a party generally favored by and supporting the working class.

Example Sentences

One of the main tools the U.S. government uses to understand the health of the labor market doesn’t acknowledge the role that providing eldercare can play in someone’s ability to work.

From MarketWatch • Jul. 7, 2026

While climate experts say industries need to adapt working conditions for rising temperatures, in India, labor laws don’t mandate a cutoff temperature for outdoor workers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 7, 2026

He said while there might be some “modest” tuition reductions, the changes will likely “lead to further labor shortages in key professional fields, such as healthcare.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 6, 2026

It is the lane for the investor who favors clean energy, fair labor practices and strong corporate governance while avoiding companies with poor track records on the environment and how they treat people.

From MarketWatch • Jul. 6, 2026

Their plantations and businesses would not earn enough money to support the cost of operating these large properties if they shifted to paid labor.

From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis

Related Words

• activity
• employment
• energy
• industry
• job