very painstaking

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "very painstaking" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a process or task that requires a lot of careful effort and attention to detail. Example: "The artist's very painstaking approach to her work resulted in stunningly detailed paintings."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

"This has been very painstaking".

The New York Times

"It's very painstaking.

The Guardian - Arts

It's often a very painstaking process".

The Guardian - Music

Truffaut is very painstaking - a minimum of seven takes for each shot - and meticulous.

The Guardian

"They require a lot of very painstaking work, but, coming from a fine arts background, I get a lot of satisfaction when I see a museum project of ours on display," he said.

The New York Times

Whilst there is no significant information to report, we take a great deal of comfort from the fact that Jules continues to fight, as we knew he would, and this has enabled the medical professionals caring for him to commence the planned, but very painstaking, programme of rehabilitation therapy.

The Guardian - Sport

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

Cameron said on Marr that the UK was going through "a very difficult, painstaking process" of rebalancing the economy because the old model of growth that focused on financial services in England's south-east was broken.

The Guardian

Extracting scientific data from historical documents "is very difficult, painstaking work," says Claire Parkinson, a climatologist at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, who has used the journals of the 18th century explorer Captain Cook to reconstruct information about the sea ice of old.

Science Magazine

"But after many months of very professional, painstaking and thorough work it's culminated today with the arrest of the three offenders that we will be alleging murdered Mr Saunders".

Vice

In that case the first author, Anna Kicheva, did very detailed painstaking quantitative measurements of the different aspects of neural tube growth.

BMC Biology

In the end, he has devoted his career to that very brand of painstaking investigation.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "very painstaking" to emphasize the significant effort and attention to detail required in a task or process. This phrase is effective when you want to highlight the meticulous nature of the work.

Common error

Avoid using "very painstaking" when describing tasks that are inherently simple or routine. Save it for situations where the effort genuinely warrants such emphasis; otherwise, it can sound exaggerated.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "very painstaking" functions as an adjective phrase, modifying a noun to describe a quality or characteristic. It emphasizes the extreme care, effort, and attention to detail involved in a particular task or process. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

58%

Science

21%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "very painstaking" is a grammatically sound adjective phrase used to describe activities requiring significant effort and attention to detail. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. While not exceedingly common, it effectively conveys the meticulous nature of a task, as evidenced by its presence in various contexts like news, science, and general writing. The phrase is most often found in News & Media. For alternative phrasing, consider options such as "extremely meticulous" or "highly thorough" to achieve similar emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

extremely meticulous

Replaces "very painstaking" with synonyms that emphasize precision and attention to detail.

highly thorough

Focuses on the completeness and comprehensiveness of the effort involved, rather than just the difficulty.

incredibly diligent

Highlights the persistent and careful effort put into the process.

remarkably scrupulous

Emphasizes the moral or ethical aspect of the care taken, suggesting a strong adherence to principles.

particularly conscientious

Stresses the sense of duty and responsibility in carrying out the task.

exceptionally arduous

Shifts the focus to the difficulty and strenuousness of the task.

exceedingly elaborate

Highlights the complexity and the level of detail involved.

quite demanding

Emphasizes the high requirements and challenges associated with the task.

seriously detailed

Focuses on the extensive attention to detail in the process.

intensely elaborate

Similar to "exceedingly elaborate", but suggests a higher degree of complexity.

FAQs

How can I use "very painstaking" in a sentence?

You can use "very painstaking" to describe a process that requires careful effort and attention to detail. For example, "The restoration of the painting was a "very painstaking" process".

What are some alternatives to "very painstaking"?

Alternatives include "extremely meticulous", "highly thorough", or "incredibly diligent", depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is it redundant to say "very painstaking"?

While "painstaking" already implies a high degree of effort, adding "very" can further emphasize the intensity and meticulous nature of the work involved. The appropriateness depends on the specific context.

What kind of tasks are best described as "very painstaking"?

"Very painstaking" is best used to describe tasks that involve intricate details, require a high level of precision, and demand significant time and effort. Examples include detailed scientific research, complex restoration projects, or meticulous artistic creations.