toil
Usage
What are other ways to say toil?
Toil suggests wearying or exhausting labor: toil that breaks down the worker's health. Drudgery suggests continuous, dreary, and dispiriting work, especially of a menial or servile kind: the drudgery of household tasks. Labor particularly denotes hard manual work: backbreaking labor; arduous labor. 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.
See Examples For:
Her installation of aprons, made of silk printed with her photography and archival images, speaks to women’s toil at home and in the workforce—both realms where their efforts historically have been overlooked and underappreciated.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
After years of investment, hype, and toil, their A.I. code was quite good—maybe too good.
From Slate ● Sep. 15, 2026
He famously worked alone, content to toil away on his own singular vision, but the innovations he made in visual effects spread well beyond his studio.
From Salon ● Sep. 4, 2026
This is an incredible start to their adult life; most working people take years of toil to get to that level.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 10, 2026
But do not toil too hard, my dears.
From "Ella Enchanted" by Gail Carson Levine
John toils as a sheep farmer and weaver, and practices a fire-and-brimstone form of Presbyterianism.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 1, 2026
As Baraa toils on, he longs for a return to a normal life with prospects of more profitable employment.
From BBC ● Nov. 29, 2025
Co-produced with Edgar Barrera and Sky Rompiendo, the song toils with the wistfulness of what never came to be, and the hope of what could become.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 31, 2024
So are the film’s many montages underlining Ryuta’s plight — he toils at multiple jobs to care for his sick mother — that reduce the character to something of a sob story.
From New York Times ● Apr. 18, 2024
Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come.
From "The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs" by Betty G. Birney
On another hot day and in improved batting conditions, India finished 154-1 - an ominous lead of 269 - as England's bowlers toiled and lacked wicket-taking threat on a flat surface.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
Most players who have toiled in the minor league system debut in front of applauding friends and family.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 6, 2026
Veteran Jessica Pegula, 32, the top-ranked American who also toiled away on the sport’s lower tier before becoming a top-10 mainstay, appreciates Liu’s resolve.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026
After Sharma was dismissed by Liam McCarthy, India's middle-order toiled as Hollard took the wickets of Ishan Kishan, captain Shreyas Iyer and Washington Sundar.
From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026
The newcomers had toiled either in the house or in the field.
From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead
That’s what Francisco had done, toiling in Texas for a stint to afford a house back home large enough for his 12 children.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 6, 2026
Since last year, Japanese businesses have faced tougher legal requirements to help employees toiling in the heat.
From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026
With two more days of good weather expected, India have the chance to keep a tired England toiling and bat them out of the game on day three.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
And instead of toiling away for a moribund franchise, Garrett will now have a shot at a Super Bowl.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 2, 2026
Like Luba Luft; singing Don Giovanni and Le Nozze instead of toiling across the face of a barren rock-strewn field.
From "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick
Vocabulary lists containing toil
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Animal Farm
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