labor of love

American  

noun

1. work done for the sake of one's own enjoyment or of benefit to others rather than for material rewards.

   He coached amateur baseball teams as a labor of love.

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labor of love Idioms  

1. Work done for one's satisfaction rather than monetary reward. For example, The research took three years but it was a labor of love. This expression appears twice in the New Testament (Hebrews 6:10, Thessalonians 1:3), referring to those who do God's work as a labor of love. [c. 1600]

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Etymology

Origin of labor of love

First recorded in 1665–75

Example Sentences

Operating the Plus Bus and Perfect 10+ was more of a labor of love for her than a money-grab, she says, noting that she never once turned a profit on either store.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

The book is a labor of love and obsession, a search for answers by a philosopher who can, at times, overthink things.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 30, 2025

"For all of us it's a labor of love," declared JPMorgan Chief Executive Jamie Dimon just before the symbolic ribbon-cutting at the building referred to as "270" for its address at 270 Park Avenue.

From Barron's • Oct. 21, 2025

Morello's post said putting the event together was "over a year of hard work but heavy metal was the music that made me love music and it was a labor of love."

From BBC • Jul. 9, 2025

The lodge had been a labor of love and a project they ran together.

From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone