labor-intensive

American  

[ley-ber-in-ten-siv] / ˈleɪ bər ɪnˈtɛn sɪv /

adjective

1. requiring or using a large supply of labor, relative to capital.

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labor-intensive Cultural  

1. A term describing industries that require a great deal of labor relative to capital (compare capital-intensive). Examples of labor-intensive industries are forms of agriculture that cannot make use of machinery and service industries, such as restaurants.

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Etymology

Origin of labor-intensive

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

labor-intensive

However, some commissioners and residents remain skeptical, saying the benefits are uneven, and data centers create few permanent jobs after their labor-intensive construction is finished.

From Salon ● Jun. 6, 2026

Although more labor-intensive than short-read sequencing, the technique provides a clearer picture of allele differences and distant methylation sites.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 1, 2026

Much of the labor-intensive visual effects work known as rotoscoping was outsourced to shops in India and other countries with much lower labor costs than in California.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 13, 2026

Demand is up for several reasons; more doctors are prescribing the transdermal bioidentical estradiol, and the manufacturing process for patches is more labor-intensive and time-consuming than making pills.

From MarketWatch ● May 12, 2026

It’s out of this world, but preparing it is very labor-intensive.

From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi