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.
And as much as we might think innovations happen fast—perhaps true in software but rarely in other areas—Bell Labs’ example shows that breakthroughs often happen slowly, and with painstaking effort.
"A traditional minesweeper which is conducting slow, painstaking work is going to find it tricky to hunt for mines and deactivate them if they are also under air and surface attack," he said.
From BBC
There was the high bench over which Father had bent for so many years, doing the delicate, painstaking work that was known as the finest in Holland.
From Literature
His aides describe days of painstaking preparation before major addresses to live audiences.
From Los Angeles Times
The international research team attached tiny GPS trackers to 69 ravens -- an impressive number considering the painstaking work in trapping the particularly observant birds.
From Barron's
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.
