laboriousness

IPA/lɐbˈɔːɹiəsnəs/
IPA/lɐbˈɔːɹiəsnəs/

laboriousness — noun

1. the fact that a task takes a great deal of physical or mental energy over a long

1.nounC1
Definition

the fact that a task takes a great deal of physical or mental energy over a long period of time, making it feel heavy and draining

Example

The laboriousness of carrying furniture up three flights of stairs exhausted Caleb.

laboriousness + of + gerund phrase

Diego was surprised by the laboriousness of fixing the old wooden fence with basic tools.

Common collocations
  • laboriousness of [task/activity]
  • laboriousness involved in [something]
  • complain about the laboriousness of
  • surprised by the laboriousness of
Synonyms
  • arduousness

    slightly more formal and literary; emphasises steep difficulty more than duration

  • strenuousness

    focuses on the physical or mental energy required, often for an active task

Antonyms
  • ease

    the quality of being effortless

  • simplicity

    the quality of being straightforward and not complicated

Grammar Patterns

laboriousness + of + noun phrase

Usage Note

Frequently combined with a following 'of'-phrase that names the task, as in 'the laboriousness of [gerund phrase / noun phrase]'.

Common Mistakes

The laboriousness of the project made us tired.
The laboriousness of the project wore everyone out.
'tired' is too general; 'wear out' or 'exhaust' captures the draining quality better.

2. the quality of a piece of writing, a speech, or an explanation that has far too

2.nounC1
Definition

the quality of a piece of writing, a speech, or an explanation that has far too much detail, which makes it feel dull and difficult to get through

Example

The laboriousness of the legal document made it almost impossible for anyone to stay focused.

laboriousness + of + [document type]

Meera found the laboriousness of the professor's lecture so draining that she nearly fell asleep.

Common collocations
  • laboriousness of [document/lecture/novel]
  • criticise the laboriousness of
  • find the laboriousness of [something]
  • complain about the laboriousness of
Synonyms
  • tediousness

    more everyday word; focuses on the boredom caused by length and repetition

  • wearisomeness

    emphasises the mental tiredness that comes from plodding through excessive detail

Antonyms
  • conciseness

    the quality of saying or writing only what is necessary

  • brevity

    the quality of being short and to the point

Grammar Patterns

laboriousness + of + noun phrase

Usage Note

Commonly applied to written or spoken works (documents, lectures, novels, reports). Unlike sense 1, the focus is on excessive detail rather than physical exertion.

Common Mistakes

The laboriousness of the textbook was too much information.
The laboriousness of the textbook made it a struggle to finish.
'too much information' is vague; reference the effect on the reader instead.

3. the habit of putting a lot of steady effort into your work and refusing to give

3.nounC1
Definition

the habit of putting a lot of steady effort into your work and refusing to give up or cut corners, even when the work is difficult

Example

Chiara's laboriousness earned her a promotion within her first year at the research lab.

possessive + laboriousness as a personal quality

The team valued Yael's laboriousness, knowing every task would be finished ahead of the deadline.

Common collocations
  • [possessive] laboriousness
  • laboriousness + [verb phrase describing achievement]
  • attribute [something] to laboriousness
  • praise [someone's] laboriousness
Synonyms
  • industriousness

    very close in meaning; focuses more on being productive and busy

  • diligence

    emphasises careful attention and thoroughness alongside hard work

  • perseverance

    focuses on continuing despite difficulties rather than putting in effort

Antonyms
  • laziness

    the quality of avoiding work or effort

  • indolence

    formal term for the habit of being inactive and avoiding exertion

Grammar Patterns

possessive + laboriousness

Usage Note

This is the oldest sense historically and carries a positive, admiring tone. It overlaps with 'diligence' but emphasises steady effort even more than carefulness. In modern usage, the 'HARD EFFORT' (sense 1) and 'TEDIOUS DETAIL' (sense 2) meanings are far more common.

Common Mistakes

Her laboriousness helped her finish quickly.
Her laboriousness helped her keep working steadily through the long project.
'finish quickly' contradicts the idea of slow, persistent effort.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe effort that is hard, but they differ in what kind of effort they highlight. 'Laboriousness' emphasises that a task demands continuous, drawn-out work — both physical and mental — over a sustained period. 'Arduousness' focuses more on steep difficulty and steepness of challenge: climbing a mountain is arduous even if it only takes an hour. 'Strenuousness' points to active, energetic effort that taxes the body or mind, such as a workout or a heated debate. 'Toil' is a noun for exhausting, long-term labour often associated with manual work. For everyday situations, 'laboriousness' is the most neutral and broadly applicable choice; 'arduousness' carries a more dramatic tone and 'strenuousness' is best for exertion that feels active and intense.

laboriousness ↗arduousnessstrenuousnesstoil ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • extremely laborious
  • painfully laborious
  • unnecessarily laborious

Phrases

  • the laboriousness of [something]
  • [possessive] laboriousness
  • complain about the laboriousness of
  • criticise the laboriousness of

Prepositions

  • laboriousness of
  • laboriousness involved in

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Comes from Latin 'laboriosus' (full of toil, hard-working), which itself comes from 'labor' (work, exertion). The word entered English through French 'laborieux' and was combined with the suffix '-ness' to form the noun 'laboriousness', meaning the quality or state of being laborious.

First known use

14th century

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2