painstaking

[peynz-tey-king, peyn-stey-]

adjective

1. taking taking or characterized by taking pains or trouble; expending or showing diligent care and effort; careful.

   a painstaking craftsman; painstaking research.

   Synonyms: scrupulous, thorough

noun

1. careful and diligent effort.

painstaking

/ ˈpeɪnzˌteɪkɪŋ /

adjective

1. extremely careful, esp as to fine detail

   painstaking research

Other Word Forms

• painstakingly adverb
• painstakingness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of painstaking¹

First recorded in 1550–60; pain + -s ³ + taking

Synonym Study

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.

Example Sentences

“It is, above all, arduous, painstaking work that calls for an intense effort, perseverance, stamina, fortitude, will power, serious knowledge and great mastery.”

Read more on Literature

Even some backers of Proposition 50 flinched at the notion of sidelining the redistricting commission and undoing its painstaking, nonpartisan work.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Is it the transformational, go-for-broke acting showcase it affords, and the painstaking period recreation so essential to the journey back in time?

Read more on Los Angeles Times

That’s the judgment of the Urban Institute, which undertook a painstaking analysis of the changes under discussion at the White House and the Social Security Administration.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Thornton’s family has been farming in the same valley 20 minutes south of the Canadian border for nearly a century, and their yearly Honeycrisp crop is a painstaking ordeal.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• assiduous 
• careful 
• conscientious 
• diligent 
• earnest 
• exacting 
• scrupulous 
• strenuous