Laborious
/ləˈbɔːr.i.əs/
adjectiveC1
Definition
Laborious means something that takes a lot of work and effort, often because it is difficult or slow. It usually describes tasks or activities that require patience and energy to finish.
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See It in Action
Requiring a lot of effort and time
- •Writing the report was a laborious process that took many hours.
- •Cleaning the old house was laborious but necessary.
- •The laborious journey through the mountains tired all the hikers.
Slow and difficult because of hard work
- •Learning a new language can be laborious at first.
- •The laborious task of fixing the broken machine required patience.
- •His laborious reading showed how much he wanted to understand the book.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "laborious" like "hard" (A1 word), but with extra meaning that it also takes a long time and can be tiring
- ✓Picture someone slowly carrying heavy boxes up many stairs, sweating and working carefully
- ✓It's the feeling you get when you have to do a long homework assignment that is not easy or quick
- ✓Sounds like "labor" + "-ious" → imagine a "labor" (work) that is serious and needs much energy
- ✓Think of a farmer doing hard work all day in the field, slowly and carefully planting seeds
- ✓NOT like "easy" (quick and simple), laborious means the opposite: slow and hard work
- ✓NOT like "fast" or "quick" — laborious tasks take time and effort, not speed
- ✓NOT like "fun" or "simple" — laborious work is often tiring and requires focus
Try Other Words
- •Arduous: very difficult and tiring (Use when you want to emphasize how hard and tiring the task is)
- •Difficult: not easy to do (Use for general problems or challenges without focusing on time or effort)
- •Time-consuming: takes a lot of time (Use when the main problem is the long time needed, not just effort)
- •Strenuous: needing great effort and energy (Use when physical or mental energy is strongly needed)
Unboxing
- •Prefix/root/suffix: "labor" (work) + suffix "-ious" (having the quality of)
- •Etymology: From Latin "laboriosus," meaning full of work or toil
- •Historical development: Used since the 1600s to describe tasks needing much effort
- •Modern usage: Describes tasks or activities that are hard, slow, and require much effort, often in work or study
Reflect & Connect
•Can a laborious task ever feel rewarding? Why or why not?
•How do you handle laborious work when you feel tired or bored?
Fill in the blanks
1.The project was laborious because it required ___ attention to detail and ___ time to finish.
2.She found the laborious task of cleaning the attic ___ but necessary to organize her home.
3.Unlike quick jobs, laborious work usually needs ___ effort and patience.
4.When the teacher assigned a laborious essay, many students felt ___ about the long hours needed.
5.Laborious activities often ___ both physical and mental energy from a person.
6.The laborious process of learning a language can ___ your confidence if you keep practicing.
7.He avoided laborious tasks because they made him feel ___ and tired.