toiled

verb

past tense of toil
as in labored
to devote serious and sustained effort toiled for many years on the mammoth outdoor sculpture

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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 toiled Before fish narc sounded like the second coming of the Lemonheads, Olympia, Washington songwriter Ben Funkhouser toiled as a producer and beatmaker at the forefront of the SoundCloud rap scene. — Jeff Yerger, Pitchfork, 19 Oct. 2026 While Vonnegut toiled in a malt syrup factory, several other prisoners were assigned to labor details clearing out the rubble left behind from the bombings. — Literary Hub, 31 Aug. 2026 Senior tight end Ryan Wynn may have toiled in the shadows a year ago during Oswego’s surprising run to the Class 8A state championship game but his impact didn’t go unnoticed. — Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026 And there were plenty of heroic acts by thousands of health care workers who toiled tirelessly, risking their own lives to care for those who had fallen ill during the pandemic. — Steve Brozak, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 But as pole-sitter Norris toiled behind Piastri, having lost the lead on Lap 1 of 70 with a big slide at Turn 2, his view was squarely on the rear of the sister McLaren while keeping an eye on Max Verstappen’s Red Bull in his mirrors. — Luke Smith, New York Times, 27 July 2026 As Pa, Ma, Mary and Laura toiled to make Independence their new home, a combination of unfortunate setbacks brought them to set out on this journey all over again. — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 9 July 2026 Most players who have toiled in the minor league system debut in front of applauding friends and family. — Liana Handler follow, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026 For 17 generations, Wietse Van Der Werf’s forebears toiled as dockworkers, shipbuilders, and sea captains in the Netherlands and its colonies. — Richard Morgan, Time, 29 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toiled
  1. labored
  2. struggled
  3. worked
Verb
  • The Virginia Theological Seminary makes annual cash payments to the descendants whose family members labored on its campus during slavery and Jim Crow eras.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Indonesia has labored under the threat of a downgrade for most of 2026.
    — Jay Ganglani, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of labored
Verb
  • The 3-3 Knights have struggled in the Big 12 since joining the conference, but tend to be better at home in the friendly confines of the Acrisure Bounce House.
    — Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The shift signals a turning point for the left, which has historically struggled to counter the far-right’s dominant online presence and savvy digital strategy.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of struggled
Verb
  • For decades, Buck and Aikman’s equally dry sense of humor worked, and there was never the slightest appearance of friction.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Ichiyama has worked closely with Chinese-language auteurs including Hou Hsiao-hsien and Jia Zhangke, and says the mainland industry changed sharply in the mid-2000s.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of worked

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Cite this Entry

“Toiled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toiled. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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