BELABORED Synonyms: 176 Similar and Opposite Words

belabored

verb

past tense of belabor

as in emphasized

to speak or write about insistently and usually tiresomely stop belaboring the fact that they're already in debt

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Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in attacked

to criticize harshly and usually publicly there's no need to belabor other people's flaws when you're hardly perfect yourself

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in licked

to strike repeatedly with a whip he belabored a horse almost to the point of death

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of belabored Every word seems carefully chosen, yet none of it seems belabored. — Brian McCollum, Freep.com, 18 Sep. 2026 There is no offseason from a city’s and a fanbase’s obsession, but last season has long been over, a fact that coach Ben Johnson has belabored since his team bowed out of the playoffs on an overtime field goal last January. — Jon Greenberg, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026 The gags are both belabored and feeble. — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 26 June 2026 During Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference keynote, one health announcement came fast — the other was belabored at length. — Mario Aguilar, STAT, 9 June 2026 Jones belabored this point as well, once again citing packing too much and how a broken zipper can quickly turn messy if security is unable to quickly re-pack your belongings. — Kelsey Legg, ABC News, 13 Feb. 2026 His restraint suits a story in which machine-kind and humankind begin to feel shrink-wrapped together, the ghosts belabored by increasing social pressure, the humans jolted by high-voltage wires. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2026 Its instructions are vague, its arguments belabored and its absurdist fables too plentiful. — Book Marks october 2, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for belabored

Verb

Amy Guerrero, a Filipino American activist and teacher in Norwalk who previously taught in Bridgeport, emphasized the importance of solidarity across racial and cultural groups.

— Reginald David, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026
Unlike past rallies, Edly-Allen said Indivisible Northeast Lake County emphasized the nonpartisan flavor of Saturday’s event.

— Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of emphasized

Verb

Authorities said John had been a special needs student at the school and had attacked a classroom with special needs students.

— HAVEN DALEY, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026
On Friday, settlers attacked the village as residents, accompanied by peace activists, set out early for the harvest.

— Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of attacked

Verb

Tuxedo kitten Paolina bounced onto my chest and licked my fingers.

— Solvej Schou, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026
Her entire face got licked clean off her head when suburban floodwaters breached the cardboard hull protecting Kath’s basement memorabilia stack a few months before I was born.

— Claire Carusillo, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of licked

Verb

During her brief address at the end of a two-hour-plus meeting, the Salvadoran ambassador stressed the need for adequate security measures and international support for the armed mission.

— Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026
The complaint does not charge him with espionage, theft of trade secrets, or acting as an agent of a foreign government, a point his defense stressed in its motion.

— Emily Forlini, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of stressed

Verb

Shortly after, Wilcox slammed on the brakes, jumped out of his vehicle, took out a loaded semi-automatic handgun and fired three gunshots at the officer, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

— Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Simon has weakened to a Category 2 storm, its eye remaining just offshore as its most powerful winds and rain slammed communities between the Sierra Madre and the ocean and were forecast to persist off the coast of Puerto Vallarta.

— JAIMIE DING, Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of slammed

Verb

District of Columbia Judge Ana Reyes angrily scolded government attorneys in a hearing to block the government from cutting down more trees at East Potomac Golf Course.

— ABC News, ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026
Eventually, all charges were dropped days before trial after Perry was finally given the full, unredacted grand jury transcripts and scolded prosecutors for violating the inherent trust placed in the office.

— Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of scolded

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belabor

belabored

belaboring

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“Belabored.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belabored. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of belabored

verb

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