a laborious start

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a laborious start" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a beginning that requires a lot of effort or hard work, often implying that the process is slow or difficult. Example: "The project faced a laborious start due to the numerous challenges the team encountered in the initial phases."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

The Philadelphia 76ers are re-energized after a laborious start; they are 7-2 sIversonerson and Aaron McKie returned from injuries.

The New York Times - Sports

England made a laborious start in the third-place play-off, but the introduction of experienced defender Sonia Mkoloma, playing in her fifth World Cup, helped settle the Roses.

BBC

Despite the fact that SPDY will form the basis for the HTTP 2.0 standard, though, the working group's chair Mark Nottingham stressed that "it's important to understand that SPDY isn't being adopted as HTTP/2.0; rather, that it's the starting point of our discussion, to avoid a laborious start from scratch".

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

I'm a ball junkie so it was really cool to see their laborious, start-to-finish assembly line of design, wiring, toys, and flippers.

Vice

Donnelly suggests we might try expanding the definition of what is considered beautiful, a laborious transformation already starting to happen thanks to body-positive advocates and a greater push towards displaying people of different colors and sizes in media.

Vice

The company currently manages 22 funds of various sorts; the industry norm is to start one new fund every few years, typically involving a laborious fund-raising process that often lasts the best part of a year.

The Economist

At first, compiling the data needed for a Lifestyle Analysis might seem like a laborious, time-consuming chore –and the last thing you want to concern yourself with as you start navigating the rocky waters of divorce.

Forbes

Designing a new chemical synthesis can be a laborious process with a fair amount of drudgery involved — mixing chemicals, measuring temperatures, analyzing the results, then starting over again if it doesn't work out.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

"It is a laborious business.

The Guardian

It is a laborious route.

The New Yorker

It is a laborious process.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider using more descriptive synonyms like "arduous" or "strenuous" depending on which aspect of "laborious" you want to emphasize.

Common error

Avoid using "a laborious start" in very casual settings. While grammatically correct, it leans towards formal language and might sound unnatural in everyday conversation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a laborious start" functions as a noun phrase, with "laborious" modifying the noun "start". It describes the characteristic of the beginning of a process or project. As Ludwig AI points out, this phrase is grammatically correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a laborious start" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe a beginning characterized by significant effort and difficulty. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. Although relatively rare, it effectively conveys the challenges faced at the outset of a project or process. Consider using synonyms like "difficult beginning" or "challenging initiation" depending on the desired nuance. While correct, be mindful of the formality and context in which it's employed. The phrase is most commonly found in news and media sources.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a slow and arduous beginning

Adds "slow" to further emphasize the time-consuming nature of the laborious start.

a cumbersome beginning

Replaces "laborious" with "cumbersome", emphasizing the awkwardness or difficulty in handling the initial stages.

a difficult commencement

Uses more formal synonyms for both "laborious" and "start", making it suitable for formal contexts.

a challenging initiation

Highlights the demanding nature of the beginning, focusing on the tests or trials involved.

a grinding initial phase

Emphasizes the repetitive and exhausting nature of the initial stage.

a painstaking inception

Emphasizes the meticulous care and effort required from the very beginning.

an uphill climb from the outset

Uses a metaphorical phrase to convey the sense of struggling against difficulties from the very start.

a strenuous kick-off

Highlights the effort and energy needed for the start of an activity or project.

a tough kickoff

Replaces "start" with a more informal and energetic term, while retaining the sense of difficulty.

a heavy launch

Conveys the difficulty and burden associated with initiating something.

FAQs

How can I use "a laborious start" in a sentence?

You can use "a laborious start" to describe a project, process, or task that began with significant difficulty and effort. For example: "The construction project had "a laborious start" due to unexpected permit delays".

What are some alternatives to "a laborious start"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives such as "a difficult beginning", "a challenging initiation", or "a tough kickoff".

Is "a laborious start" formal or informal?

"A laborious start" leans towards the formal side. While understandable in most contexts, consider more casual alternatives like "a tough start" in informal settings.

What does "a laborious start" imply?

The phrase implies that the beginning of something required significant effort, hard work, and possibly faced obstacles, making progress slow and challenging.