labor
Usage
What are other ways to say labor?
Labor particularly denotes hard manual work: backbreaking labor; arduous labor. Drudgery suggests continuous, dreary, and dispiriting work, especially of a menial or servile kind: the drudgery of household tasks. Toil suggests wearying or exhausting labor: toil that breaks down the worker's health. Work is the general word and may apply to exertion that is either easy or hard: fun work; heavy work.
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.
Fuel is the second biggest cost for airlines after labor, accounting for about 25% to 30% of total airline operating costs, according to the International Air Transport Association.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026
Meanwhile, rising productivity per worker has allowed the economy to keep growing with relatively less labor.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026
Until October 2025, the wages paid to H-2A workers were, although low, not so low as to distort the labor market and drag down the wages paid to domestic farmworkers.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026
Moreover, Papic underlines a crucial point: energy is far less than 10% of American GDP, it employs only 5% of the labor force, but almost three quarters of the economy is consumption.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026
Three years later, after war broke out, the labor service was increased to one year and became compulsory for both boys and girls.
From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Vocabulary lists containing labor
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Labor Day Lexicon: Words That Put You To Work
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Working Together: The Language of Unions
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
