laboriously

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "laboriously" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an action that is done with great effort and difficulty, often implying that it takes a long time to complete. Example: "She laboriously worked through the complex calculations, determined to get the right answer."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

He would talk about erasing all of my laboriously downloaded songs, and he would consider it a mercy.

The Guardian - Opinion

Time and time again during Tuesday's launch, he kept laboriously wheeling back to it.

The Guardian

Because first we need to sit through the incredibly superfluous scene where Denzel Washington laboriously puts on his special "shooting guns in a shower of money" outfit.

The Guardian - Film

But when the planes struck the centre of Damascus, we had to flee to Daraya, south-west of the capital, where we hid among the groves, laboriously digging trenches, waiting for the soldiers to advance forward.

The Guardian

Perhaps Bajnai – a calm, and intelligent EU-friendly politician – will convince them in 2014 that he makes a better candidate than anxious Orbán, who is apparently afraid to lose his laboriously gained power, and aims to be re-elected at any price.

The Guardian - Opinion

At the performance I saw back in 2011, this laboriously practised spontaneity from the performers went unrewarded by at least one audience member, who, after an especially inarticulate riff from a character who started a phrase several times, lamented to her neighbour: "The problem with coming to previews is that the actors sometimes haven't learned their lines".

The Guardian

Another concern is the difficulty in identifying "high-level quantifiable measures of the intended outcomes"—even though departments had spent a year laboriously negotiating just those.

The Economist

All the HTML files he had laboriously hand-coded were originally kept on an old Dell computer, with back-up copies stored on box-loads of floppies.

The Economist

The birds were laboriously caught, one by one, and relocated to the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada mountain range.

The Economist

The friends then came back through another door to deposit the coins, which had to be laboriously counted again.

The Economist

Their produce is laboriously loaded onto smaller vans, driven by locals.Pakistan's costly imports of food ($3.5 billion in the first ten months of this fiscal year, which ends on June 30th), fertiliser ($823m) and fuel (over $8.6 billion) may pull the economic rug from under its newly installed government, which presented its first budget, belatedly, on June 11th.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "laboriously" when you want to emphasize both the effort and the tedious nature of a task. It's particularly effective when describing tasks that require significant time and attention to detail, yet offer little immediate reward.

Common error

Avoid using "laboriously" in casual conversation or informal writing. Its formal tone can sound unnatural or overly dramatic in everyday contexts. Opt for simpler alternatives like "with effort" or "the hard way" in informal settings.

Linguistic Context

The adverb "laboriously" primarily functions to modify verbs, emphasizing the extensive effort, difficulty, and time invested in performing an action. As Ludwig AI confirms, it indicates a task is carried out with considerable toil and meticulousness.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

54%

Formal & Business

26%

Science

20%

Less common in

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "laboriously" is a versatile adverb used to describe actions performed with significant effort, difficulty, and often, tediousness. As Ludwig AI points out, it is grammatically correct and appropriate for use in written English. While common across various contexts, it is particularly prevalent in news, business, and scientific writing. When choosing alternatives, consider nuances such as effort, care, or fatigue to best match the intended meaning. Remember to avoid overusing "laboriously" in informal contexts to maintain a natural tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

with great effort

Focuses on the significant effort required, omitting the sense of tediousness.

with much difficulty

Highlights the challenges faced, rather than the sustained effort.

painstakingly

Emphasizes the care and attention to detail, potentially overshadowing the difficulty.

with considerable exertion

Stresses the physical or mental energy expended.

arduously

Indicates a steep and challenging effort.

tiresomely

Highlights the wearying aspect of the task.

cumbersomely

Suggests that the process is slow and awkward.

with herculean effort

Emphasizes the immense strength required, often hyperbolic.

strenuously

Emphasizes the rigor and intensity of the effort.

with back-breaking work

Highlights the physically demanding nature of the labor.

FAQs

How can I use "laboriously" in a sentence?

"Laboriously" is an adverb that describes an action done with great effort and difficulty. For example, "The team "laboriously" reviewed the documents for errors."

What are some alternatives to "laboriously"?

You can use alternatives like "with great effort", "painstakingly", or "arduously" depending on the specific context.

Is "laboriously" the same as "leisurely"?

No, "laboriously" and "leisurely" have opposite meanings. "Laboriously" implies hard work and effort, while "leisurely" implies a relaxed and unhurried manner.

Which is more appropriate, "laboriously crafted" or "carefully crafted"?

"Laboriously crafted" emphasizes the effort and difficulty involved in the crafting process, while "carefully crafted" highlights the attention to detail and precision. The choice depends on which aspect you want to emphasize.