TRAVAIL Synonyms: 188 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the noun 'travail' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of travail are drudgery , grind , labor , toil , and work . While all these words mean "activity involving effort or exertion," travail is bookish for labor involving pain or suffering. // years of travail were lost when the house burned

Q: In what contexts can 'drudgery' take the place of 'travail'?

The words drudgery and travail can be used in similar contexts, but drudgery suggests dull and irksome labor. // an editorial job with a good deal of drudgery

Q: When would 'grind' be a good substitute for 'travail'?

Although the words grind and travail have much in common, grind implies labor exhausting to mind or body. // the grind of the assembly line

Q: When is it sensible to use 'labor' instead of 'travail'?

While in some cases nearly identical to travail , labor applies to physical or intellectual work involving great and often strenuous exertion. // farmers demanding fair compensation for their labor

Q: When could 'toil' be used to replace 'travail'?

The meanings of toil and travail largely overlap; however, toil implies prolonged and fatiguing labor. // his lot would be years of back-breaking toil

Q: When might 'work' be a better fit than 'travail'?

The words work and travail are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, work may imply activity of body, of mind, of a machine, or of a natural force. // too tired to do any work

travail 1 of 2

noun

trə-ˈvāl

Definition of travail next

as in distress

a state of great suffering of body or mind no greater travail than that of parents who have suffered the death of a child

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in labor

very hard or unpleasant work these villagers now have decent housing, so our travail has not been in vain

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in childbirth

the act or process of giving birth to children a midwife assisted her throughout her long travail

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travail

2 of 2

verb

trə-ˈvāl

as in to labor

to devote serious and sustained effort Labor Day is the day on which we recognize those men and women who daily travail with little appreciation or compensation

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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How does the noun travail contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of travail are drudgery, grind, labor, toil, and work. While all these words mean "activity involving effort or exertion," travail is bookish for labor involving pain or suffering.

years of travail were lost when the house burned

In what contexts can drudgery take the place of travail?

The words drudgery and travail can be used in similar contexts, but drudgery suggests dull and irksome labor.

an editorial job with a good deal of drudgery

When would grind be a good substitute for travail?

Although the words grind and travail have much in common, grind implies labor exhausting to mind or body.

the grind of the assembly line

When is it sensible to use labor instead of travail?

While in some cases nearly identical to travail, labor applies to physical or intellectual work involving great and often strenuous exertion.

farmers demanding fair compensation for their labor

When could toil be used to replace travail?

The meanings of toil and travail largely overlap; however, toil implies prolonged and fatiguing labor.

his lot would be years of back-breaking toil

When might work be a better fit than travail?

The words work and travail are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, work may imply activity of body, of mind, of a machine, or of a natural force.

too tired to do any work

Examples of travail in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

For the pacy and gifted Pépé, his travails have gone beyond playing itself. —

Henry Flynn, Forbes, 16 Aug. 2024 Physical travail being an inexhaustible source of black comedy and a recurring metaphor for the human condition in Beckett’s writing, the depiction of mortal decline is on point. —

Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 9 Aug. 2024

Verb

See all Example Sentences for travail

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'travail.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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“Travail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/travail. Accessed 19 Sep. 2024.

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Last Updated: 18 Sep 2024 - Updated example sentences

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Synonyms of travail

noun

verb

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Examples of travail in a Sentence

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