laboured

English

Alternative forms

(mostly U.S.): labored.

Pronunciation

  • (General American) IPA(key): /ˈleɪ.bɚd/
  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈleɪ.bəd/
  • Audio (US):(file)

Verb

laboured

  1. simple past and past participle of labour

Adjective

laboured (comparative more laboured, superlative most laboured) (British spelling)

  1. Expressive of strenuous effort.
    At the end of the marathon, her laboured breathing told us she was exhausted.
    • 2026 January 7, 'Mystery Shopper', “Cornish cream - without the jams?”, in RAIL, number 1052, page 48:
      At Par, 150207 is the unit for the 1416 to Newquay. It is quite tatty and lacks tables - but does have plug sockets. It sounds laboured as it leaves, and while it sounds like it's struggling as it tackles Luxulyan, it's not losing time.
  2. Of writing or speech or similar, stilted or not natural due to too much effort being used in the production.

Derived terms

Translations

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