labor

American  

[ley-ber] / ˈleɪ bər /

especially British, labour

noun

1. productive activity, especially for the sake of economic gain.

   Antonyms:

   rest, leisure, idleness

2. the body of persons engaged in such activity, especially those working for wages.

   Synonyms:

   working class

3. this body of persons considered as a class (management andcapital ).

4. physical or mental work, especially of a hard or fatiguing kind; toil.

   Synonyms:

   exertion

   Antonyms:

   rest, leisure, idleness

5. a job or task done or to be done.

6. the physical effort and periodic uterine contractions of childbirth.

   Synonyms:

   delivery, parturition

7. the interval from the onset of these contractions to childbirth.

8. Also called Labor Department.  Informal. Labor. the Department of Labor.

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verb (used without object)

1. to perform labor; exert one's powers of body or mind; work; toil.

   Synonyms:

   drudge

   Antonyms:

   rest

2. to strive, as toward a goal; work hard (often followed byfor ).

   to labor for peace.

3. to act, behave, or function at a disadvantage (usually followed byunder ).

   to labor under a misapprehension.

4. to be in the actual process of giving birth.

5. to roll or pitch heavily, as a ship.

verb (used with object)

1. to develop or dwell on in excessive detail.

   Don't labor the point.

   Synonyms:

   overdo, belabor

2. to burden or tire.

   to labor the reader with unnecessary detail.

3. British Dialect. to work or till (soil or the like).

adjective

1. of or relating to workers, their associations, or working conditions.

   labor reforms.

labor British  

/ ˈleɪbə /

verb

1. the US spelling of labour

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labor Scientific  

/ lā′bər /

1. The process by which the birth of a mammal occurs, beginning with contractions of the uterus and ending with the expulsion of the fetus and the placenta.

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labor Cultural  

1. The physical processes at the end of a normal pregnancy, including opening of the cervix and contractions of the uterus, that lead to the birth of the baby.

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Usage

What are other ways to say labor? Labor refers to mental or physical work, especially that which is hard or fatiguing. When should you use labor instead of work, drudgery, or toil? Find out on Thesaurus.com.

Other Word Forms

• antilabor adjective
• laboringly adverb
• laborless adjective
• nonlabor adjective
• outlabor verb (used with object)
• overlabor verb (used with object)
• prelabor noun
• prolabor adjective
• unlaboring adjective

Etymology

Origin of labor

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English labour, from Old French, from Latin labōr- (stem of labor ) “work”

Explanation

Although the word labor seems to suggest tough, physical work that makes you sweat, any type of work, whether physical or mental, can be considered labor. Labor is usually associated with very hard, physical work, suggesting fatigue and aching muscles. In fact, a woman giving birth is said to be in labor, giving true meaning to the phrase "labor of love." The word can also be used as a verb, as in "He had to labor many years to pay off his debt." That sense of hard work fits in with the Labor Party of some nations, a party generally favored by and supporting the working class.

Example Sentences

More pushback could come from each airline’s global alliance partners — international carriers that work together to provide global coverage — and labor unions, he said.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026

The company said the change will increase visibility throughout its small-package delivery network, while increasing delivery accuracy and reducing the manual labor needed to scan individual parcels.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

Investors are also grappling with questions about what impact artificial intelligence will have on the labor market and what’s next from the Federal Reserve.

From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026

The payouts are yet another cloud looming over the budget proposal, along with rising labor costs and federal funding cuts.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

He scowled at the question of how a person might find out who was in which labor camp.

From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron

Related Words

• activity
• employment
• energy
• industry
• job