laborious to read

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "laborious to read" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a text or document that is difficult or tedious to read due to its complexity or length. Example: "The report was so filled with jargon and technical details that it became laborious to read."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Laborious to read about, too: descriptions of her technical minutiae, and of the formal topographies of her paintings, accurate though they may be, can be as indigestible as the prose of a car-repair manual.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

When he picked up the theme, researchers certainly knew that genes contained the instructions for protein assembly; some had found a way – laborious and inaccurate – to "read" a DNA sequence; and others had begun attempts to "map" certain genes to particular chromosomes.

The Guardian

The murder trial of a silent defendant, especially one who has spent a lifetime lying to everyone about almost everything, can't help but strike a child as what it is: a hugely laborious exercise in trying to read a mind.

The New Yorker

He is, however, keen to point out that he put himself through this laborious regime out of a desire to read the classics rather than because he was embarrassed by his handicap.

The Guardian

(Sight words are common words like "an" that students learn to read automatically without going through the laborious process of sounding them out).

Huffington Post

The Hon. John Byng, for example, issued the dire warning that "not only would education 'teach them to read seditious pamphlets, books and publications against Christianity'… but it would render them unfit for 'the laborious employment to which their rank in society had destined them'".

Wikipedia

Books are small, easy to conceal and laborious to tag.

The Economist

Using forests for building materials is way too laborious to survive in the 21st century.

TechCrunch

It works, but it can be a bit laborious to enter text using this thing.

TechCrunch

Nevertheless, a limitation is the survey questionnaire of ANP too laborious to fill out [80,81].

Human-centric Computing and Information Sciences

Data- bases are notoriously complex and laborious to install; once in, they are painful to extract.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing technical documentation or academic texts, use "laborious to read" to convey the demanding effort required for comprehension. This highlights the complexity and depth of the material, setting expectations for the reader.

Common error

Avoid using "laborious to read" when describing simple or recreational reading material. This phrase is more suited for complex or technical texts, and its overuse in casual contexts can sound overly dramatic or pretentious.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "laborious to read" functions as an adjective phrase modifying an implied or stated noun (e.g., a book, a document). It serves to describe the reading experience associated with that noun. As confirmed by Ludwig, this phrase is grammatically correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Academia

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "laborious to read" effectively conveys that a text demands significant effort and concentration. Ludwig AI analysis confirms that it is grammatically sound and appropriate for formal contexts, frequently appearing in news, science, and wiki sources. While alternatives such as "difficult to read" or "tedious to read" offer similar meanings, "laborious to read" carries a distinct emphasis on the demanding nature of the reading experience. It's crucial to reserve this phrase for complex or technical materials, avoiding its overuse in casual settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

difficult to read

A more general alternative, indicating that the reading material presents challenges without specifying the exact nature of the difficulty.

cumbersome to read

Replaces "laborious" with "cumbersome", highlighting the awkwardness or complexity that makes reading difficult.

tedious to read

Substitutes "laborious" with "tedious", emphasizing the boring and monotonous nature of the reading experience.

tough to read

Replaces "laborious" with "tough", suggesting that the reading material presents challenges in comprehension or engagement.

tiresome to read

Replaces "laborious" with "tiresome", focusing on the weariness or fatigue induced by the reading process.

laborious to interpret

Shifts the focus from simply reading to the more complex act of interpreting, implying that understanding the text requires significant effort.

onerous to read

Replaces "laborious" with "onerous", highlighting the burdensome and demanding nature of the reading task.

painful to read

Replaces "laborious" with "painful", conveying that reading experience is unpleasant or mentally taxing.

daunting to read

Implies that the task of reading is intimidating or overwhelming due to its difficulty or scale.

time-consuming to read

Focuses on the amount of time required to complete the reading, rather than the effort involved.

FAQs

What does "laborious to read" mean?

The phrase "laborious to read" describes something that requires significant effort and concentration to read, often due to its complexity, length, or technical nature. It suggests that the reading process is not easy or enjoyable.

What can I say instead of "laborious to read"?

You can use alternatives like "difficult to read", "tedious to read", or "cumbersome to read" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "laborious to read" formal or informal?

The phrase "laborious to read" is generally considered to be more formal. It is best suited for describing academic, technical, or professional texts where precision and a higher level of vocabulary are appropriate.

How do I use "laborious to read" in a sentence?

You might say, "The technical manual was so filled with jargon that it became laborious to read", or "The legal document proved laborious to read due to its dense and complex language".