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labor

labor

426 1.4
Work done using physical effort, often a hard task
  • noun
  • /ˈleɪbər/
  • US
: trabajo
  • The mine owners brought them in as cheap labor.
  • manual labor
  • labor-intensive
  • labor market

But that notion of work and labor is increasingly at risk.

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Examples

  • Nothing like a little manual labor to keep you humble.

  • A lot of unpaid labor and thankless labor.

  • I remember thinking that I wish that my labor hurt more.

  • That was achieved through hard work, through labor, through generations in the past.

  • And now for the fruits of my labor.

  • Anytime the unemployment rate goes way up, the cost of Labor tends to go down.

  • As such, the gains reflect both higher productivity and greater labor market participation or employment.

    Academic text (2011)
  • The marginal products of capital and labor determine the real wage, and the real return on capital.

    Academic text (2017)
  • A team can possess heterogeneous capabilities, enabling division of labor and efficient task execution.

    Academic text (2011)
  • The workers completed their labor on the construction site ahead of schedule.

Synonyms

work
vslabor
∞ 1.0

Effort people use to do a job or task

is more about physical effort or demanding tasks than general job activity
task
vslabor
∞ 1.0

A piece of work someone must do, often given by another person

is broader, covering overall effort or many tasks rather than one duty
hard work
vslabor
439 1.6

A lot of steady effort to achieve something difficult

is more general, covering any required effort including physical tasks
effort
vslabor
47 1.1

A notable achievement done with a lot of hard work

is about the general doing of a task rather than the notable result
undertaking
vslabor
44 4.6

A large difficult task that needs a lot of effort

is more everyday and general, not only large or important projects
exertion
vslabor
22 5.0

Strong physical or mental effort that makes you tired

is the broader idea of doing tasks needing physical or mental energy
toil
vslabor
22 5.8

Hard, continuous work that uses a lot of physical effort

is more general, rather than stressing prolonged physical hardship
manual labor
vslabor
  • US
19 3.3

Work done with your hands or body rather than by machines

is broader, including physical work but also nonmanual tasks needing effort
grunt work
vslabor
  • Informal
12 5.3

Boring, simple jobs that are necessary and take a lot of time

is a neutral term for effort or tasks without the negative tone
sweat of one's brow
vslabor
  • Literature
1 5.8

Hard work done to earn money or achieve something

is more general and neutral, not necessarily about earning a living

Antonyms

90 1.3

Time not spent working when you can relax or do things you enjoy

8 4.5

A time when someone is not working or active

Compounds

86 1.4

A holiday on the first Monday in September in the United States and Canada celebrating workers

50 2.7

An organized group of workers that negotiates with employers for better pay and working conditions

labor force
  • Specialized
40 2.2

All the people in a country who can and are available to work

labor market
  • Specialized
33 3.5

A system where employers find workers and people look for jobs

31 2.7

A part of the United States government that helps workers and improves their working conditions

23 3.7

A political group that tries to win elections to help working people and get fair treatment for all

22 3.3

Workers who belong to unions that represent them in talks with employers

21 7.5

A prison where people are forced to work, often for political reasons

19 3.6

An organized group of workers and unions trying to get better pay and conditions

19 3.3

Work done with your hands or body rather than by machines

17 2.8

A US government department that helps workers and protects their rights at work

16 4.0

The official who leads the United States Department of Labor and advises the president

labor of love
  • Informal
14 3.9

Work people do for pleasure not for money

13 3.2

A person who organizes and speaks for workers, often in a union

13 3.5

A government official who leads the department that deals with jobs and work rules

6 2.8

An agreement between workers and their employer that says pay, benefits and work rules

4 3.7

A group of workers available for companies to hire

An independent United States agency that helps settle disputes between employers and labor unions

4 3.2

A written contract between workers and the company about pay and working rules

4 3.6

Pain a woman feels during childbirth when the womb tightens

false labor
  • Specialized
3 5.1

Painless tightening of the belly before birth that does not make the baby come

2 4.8

A person who helps workers join a union and work together for better pay

premature labor
  • Specialized
2 3.5

The start of childbirth before the 37th week of pregnancy

An organization that helps countries protect workers' rights and improve working conditions worldwide

1 3.4

Strong pain in the stomach and lower back when a woman gives birth

1 3.3

Workers who are available to do jobs in a country or company

A political party in the United States that wants workers to own businesses peacefully

A former small US political party that represented farmers and workers

1 8.9

An employer forces people and their families to work to pay a debt, often for generations

1 3.8

A person who stays with a woman during childbirth and helps her breathe and relax

A former group of unions in the United States that merged in 1955 to form the AFL-CIO

induction of labor
  • Specialized
1 4.1

Starting labor by giving medicine or breaking the water

A former New York political party formed in 1936 by labor unions and liberals

A United States government department established in 1903 that handled business and worker issues until it split in 1913

A large group of trade unions in the United States that represents workers

A major political party in Australia that supports workers and moderate social policies

A person who led the United States department that handled business and worker affairs before 1913

How Hard

hard work
439 1.6
labor
  • US
426 1.4
routine
255 1.0
light work
  • Informal
2 1.0

Surface Forms

labor singular
labors plural
labours plural
labour singular

Etymology

Labor comes from the old Latin word labor, which means 'work' or 'toil'. You can see the same root in laborious, which means 'needing hard work', so labor means work or effort.