1
as in distress
a state of great suffering of body or mind
no greater travail than that of parents who have suffered the death of a child
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in labor
very hard or unpleasant work
these villagers now have decent housing, so our travail has not been in vain
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in childbirth
the act or process of giving birth to children
a midwife assisted her throughout her long travail
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to labor
to devote serious and sustained effort
Labor Day is the day on which we recognize those men and women who daily travail with little appreciation or compensation
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of travail
Dennis Harvey, Variety, 6 June 2025
Its meta nature, a game about the travails of making a game, offers insight into a creation process that’s often seen as mysterious.
—The New York Times, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025
Sarah Crompton, Vogue, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for travail
Noun
That places an onerous burden on Henson, doing her considerable best trying to sustain a role whose Job-like travails crank the distress level to 11 too soon.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 6 June 2025
Its meta nature, a game about the travails of making a game, offers insight into a creation process that’s often seen as mysterious.
—The New York Times, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025
Verb
For Zegler, making her British stage debut, Evita must seem like a haven of sorts after her travails with the controversy that grew around Snow White, where her casting was subject to racist attacks on social media about her Colombian heritage.
—Sarah Crompton, Vogue, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for travail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for travail
Noun
-
Brown said a bite from a lone star tick can trigger an allergic reaction, with symptoms including hives, gastrointestinal distress and potentially life-threatening anaphylaxis.—
State House News Service,
Boston Herald,
13 July 2025
-
Tiffany had shown no indication of being depressed or in emotional distress.—
Alex Gurley,
People.com,
12 July 2025
Noun
-
Some of the other features include an emergency department, a labor unit, operating rooms and an on-site pharmacy.—
Chase Jordan
July 8,
Charlotte Observer,
8 July 2025
-
Last month, the courier’s other ongoing labor dispute was resolved when Canada Post’s second-largest postal workers union, the Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association (CPAA), agreed to new terms.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
8 July 2025
Noun
-
Despite having more complex reproductive organs and the burdensome, sometimes fatal, functions that come with them — menstruation, pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding — female bodies tend to outlast male bodies.—
Starre Vartan,
CNN Money,
7 July 2025
-
Today, with the exception of Wisconsin, Medicaid coverage has extended from 60 days to 12 months after childbirth.—
Natasha Williams,
New York Daily News,
2 July 2025
Verb
-
But almost six months into his second mandate, his administration has struggled to keep the cost of the staple down.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 July 2025
-
But some producers are already struggling thanks to other Trump administration moves and delays.—
Jenna McLaughlin,
NPR,
10 July 2025
Noun
-
Meanwhile, Joseph writhes in the agony of his own newfound girl craziness (and cleavage obsession).—
Daniel Dockery,
Vulture,
7 July 2025
-
Williams was never offered any other clear pathway to finding relief—even as the agony from her fibroids was getting worse.—
Kayla Greaves,
SELF,
3 July 2025
Noun
-
Those stockpiling efforts surged this year as steep — and unexpectedly expansive — tariffs came into view and during periods in which they were postponed or lessened.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
10 July 2025
-
His comments came as national governments blocked significant merger efforts, not due to strategy, but due to politics.—
Julian Hayes II,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
Verb
-
Founded in 886 by King Alfred the Great, The Royal Mint strives to marry its illustrious history with innovations in sustainable sourcing of precious metals.—
Kyle Roderick,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
-
Dunham, in turn, strives to find new ways of expressing the emotion, through disarming dialogue and affecting tableaux.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
10 July 2025
Noun
-
But the first lady and I are here in Texas to express the love and support and the anguish of our entire nation in the aftermath of this really horrific and deadly flood.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
11 July 2025
-
Ming-Na Wen Tapped Into Deep Emotions To Play Dr. Fong In ‘Karate Kid: Legends’ While Ming-Na Wen doesn’t throw a punch in Karate Kid: Legends, that doesn’t mean her character hasn’t been in past battles, particularly those dealing with mental anguish.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Travail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/travail. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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