painstaking
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
Related Words
Painstaking, careful, meticulous, conscientious all describe persons or behavior demonstrating attention to detail and effective task performance. painstaking stresses diligent and assiduous attention to detail in achieving a desired objective: a painstaking technician; the painstaking editing of a manuscript. Careful , the most general in sense of these words, implies serious intent to perform well and accurately whatever task one has in hand: a careful housepainter; a careful study of the social structure of gangs. Meticulous suggests extreme attention to details, especially the most minute, coupled with an almost obsessive desire to avoid error: a meticulous silversmith, every detail finished to perfection; fussily meticulous about matching shoes and clothing. Conscientious stresses scrupulous effort to obey one's sense of moral obligation to perform tasks well: a conscientious public defender; a conscientious description of the robbery.
Other Word Forms
- painstakingly adverb
- painstakingness noun
Etymology
Origin of painstaking
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.
While admired for its painstaking construction, de Guitaut notes the dress offers a glimpse into a moment in history in a country on the precipice of change.
From BBC
It is painstaking, dismantling delicate gear assemblies, then searching hundreds of century-old envelopes for the tiny parts that will bring them back to life.
Running nearly a thousand enhancer tests in the lab took painstaking effort.
From Science Daily
The next several months were a painstaking process to procure the necessary permits for a live all-ages venue.
From Los Angeles Times
Israel and Hamas agree to a cease-fire deal after a year of painstaking diplomacy.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
