laborious

Laborious describes something that requires a substantial amount of effort, time, or perseverance. It is often used for tasks, processes, or activities that are painstaking, physically taxing, or mentally demanding. A laborious project may involve careful planning, repetitive steps, and sustained concentration.

In usage, laborious is common in formal or literary writing. It can describe a task, a journey, or a line of work that tests endurance. The adverb laboriously describes how something is done: “they laboured laboriously.” Collocations include laborious task, laborious process, and laborious effort.

Etymology: from Latin laboriosus 'full of toil' from labor 'work', via Old French laborieux or directly via Latin into English. Related forms: laboriousness (noun), laboriously (adverb).

Synonyms: arduous, strenuous, taxing, onerous. Antonyms: easy, effortless, simple, painless.