Word
laboring
Phoneticsla·bor·ing, stress on the first syllable
/ˈɫeɪbɝɪŋ/
UK spelling · labouring
Definition
v. to work very hard, often on something difficult or slow. You use it when someone keeps trying despite problems.
v. present participle of 'labor'; describes working with sustained physical or mental effort, often under difficult conditions.
Examples
“She is laboring over her homework late at night.”
“The team is laboring to finish the new bridge before the rainy season starts.”
“For months he kept laboring through drafts that never satisfied him, convinced that steady effort would finally shape the novel into something worth publishing.”
Examples
simple
“She is laboring over her homework late at night.”
contextual
“The team is laboring to finish the new bridge before the rainy season starts.”
complex
“For months he kept laboring through drafts that never satisfied him, convinced that steady effort would finally shape the novel into something worth publishing.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “laboring” in context.
Verb
01. continue laboring
“Farm workers continued laboring in the heat to save the harvest.”
verb + verb
02. keep laboring
“Despite exhaustion, they kept laboring through the night to finish.”
verb + verb
03. laboring over
“He spent hours laboring over the difficult maths problem.”
verb + prep
04. laboring through
“She kept laboring through illness to complete her assignment.”
verb + prep
05. laboring under
“The team was laboring under intense pressure to meet the deadline.”
verb + prep
Adjective
06. heavily laboring
“The old truck was heavily laboring up the steep hill.”
adv + verb
Noun
07. laboring in field
“Farmers were laboring in the field from dawn until sunset.”
verb + prep + noun
08. laboring on project
“They spent months laboring on the project design for the new bridge.”
verb + prep + noun
09. keep laboring through the night
“They had to keep laboring through the night to repair the road.”
10. labor over every detail
“As an editor, she labors over every detail before publication.”
11. laboring behind the scenes
“Many assistants were laboring behind the scenes to organize the event.”
12. laboring in extreme heat
“Construction workers were laboring in extreme heat all afternoon.”
Usage
American spelling is 'laboring'; British spelling is 'labouring'. Often followed by 'over' or 'under'.
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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