painstaking

1 of 2

adjective

pains·​tak·​ing ˈpān-ˌstā-kiŋ How to pronounce painstaking (audio)
Synonyms of painstaking
: taking pains : expending, showing, or involving diligent care and effort
painstaking research
painstaking tasks
painstaking accuracy
painstakingly
ˈpān-ˌstā-kiŋ-lē How to pronounce painstaking (audio)
adverb

painstaking

2 of 2

noun

: the action of taking pains : diligent care and effort
… greater painstaking to achieve incidental verisimilitude and accuracy of detail …—Times Literary Supplement

Synonyms of painstaking

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Adjective

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Examples of painstaking in a Sentence

Adjective The book describes the election process in painstaking detail. she was always painstaking about her work
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
An expedition team led by Steve Schultz from Purdue University and Richard Pettigrew from the Archaeological Legacy Institute on Wednesday began the painstaking search for what could be Earhart's Lockheed Electra 10-E plane. — Lana Zak, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026 For Apple, showing the stitching or the painstaking movements behind a stop-motion film makes the production process part of the advertisement. — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026 Below, Ian talks about the places that made it onto the screen, his painstaking search for the perfect properties, and the surprising challenges of filming Austen’s world in our own. — Charley Ward, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Oct. 2026 Rescuers who transported the animals to the zoo moved at a painstaking pace, carefully navigating every bump and turn to avoid stressing or injuring them, said Indalkar from the forest department in Odisha. — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for painstaking

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1685, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1538, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of painstaking was in 1538

Rhymes for painstaking

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Browse Nearby Words

painstaker
painstaking
painsworthy
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Painstaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/painstaking. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

painstaking

adjective
pains·​tak·​ing
ˈpān-ˌstā-kiŋ
: taking or showing great care and effort
a painstaking search
painstakingly
-kiŋ-lē
adverb
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