If someone's breathing is laboured, it is slow and seems to take a lot of effort.
From his slow walk and laboured breathing, Ginny realized he was far from well.
Synonyms: difficult, forced, strained, heavy More Synonyms of laboured
2. adjective
If something such as someone's writing or speech is laboured, they have put too much effort into it so it seems awkward and unnatural.
The prose of his official communications was so laboured, pompous and verbose.
Daniel's few encounters with Gold had been characterized by a laboured politeness.
Synonyms: contrived, studied, affected, awkward More Synonyms of laboured
laboured in British English
or US labored (ˈleɪbəd)
adjective
1.
(of breathing) performed with difficulty
2.
showing effort; contrived; lacking grace or fluency
Derived forms
labouredly (ˈlabouredly) or US laboredly (ˈlaboredly)
adverb
labouredness (ˈlabouredness) or US laboredness (ˈlaboredness)
noun
Examples of 'laboured' in a sentence
laboured
And all three ended up being substituted during this laboured performance.
The Sun (2016)
The flare-up became apparent in his laboured performances towards the end of the season.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The text sort of justifies the idea, but it feels laboured and contrived.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
I was in fifth gear at the time and the swerve was slow and laboured.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Paramedics said she had a weak pulse and laboured breathing, and relatives were told she only had hours to live.
The Sun (2011)
It might say something about the team's standing when a laboured display without guile or energy could be one of their better performances.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
He plays slowly, has a laboured putting style that makes you wonder if he has put his back out and does not do stardom.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The dancers, in many cases, produced laboured performances.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Cats with asthma typically cough with their necks stretched out and their front legs tucked in, but sometimes the only symptom is faster or laboured breathing.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
1 (adjective)
Definition
undertaken with difficulty
From his slow walk and laboured breathing, she realized he was not well.
Synonyms
difficult
I had a feeling you were going to be difficult about this.
forced
a forced smile
strained
His laughter seemed a little strained.
heavy
I don't want any more of that heavy stuff.
awkward
She's got to an age where she's being awkward.
2 (adjective)
The prose of his official communications was so laboured, pompous and verbose.
Synonyms
contrived
It mustn't sound like a contrived compliment.
studied
affected
She passed by with an affected air and a disdainful look.
awkward
She made an awkward gesture with her hands.
unnatural
She gave him a bright, determined smile which seemed unnatural.
overdone
ponderous
He had a dense, ponderous writing style.
overwrought
He writes pretentious, overwrought poetry.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of affected
Definition
pretended
She passed by with an affected air and a disdainful look.
Synonyms
pretended,
artificial,
contrived,
put-on,
assumed,
mannered,
studied,
precious,
stiff,
simulated,
mincing,
sham,
unnatural,
pompous,
pretentious,
counterfeit,
feigned,
spurious,
conceited,
insincere,
camp (informal),
la-di-da (informal),
arty-farty (informal),
phoney or phony (informal)
in the sense of awkward
She's got to an age where she's being awkward.
Synonyms
uncooperative,
trying,
difficult,
annoying,
unpredictable,
unreasonable,
stubborn,
troublesome,
perverse,
prickly,
exasperating,
irritable,
intractable,
vexing,
unhelpful,
touchy,
obstinate,
obstructive,
bloody-minded (British, informal),
chippy (informal),
vexatious,
hard to handle,
disobliging
in the sense of awkward
Definition
clumsy or ungainly
She made an awkward gesture with her hands.
Synonyms
clumsy,
stiff,
rude,
blundering,
coarse,
bungling,
lumbering,
inept,
unskilled,
bumbling,
unwieldy,
ponderous,
ungainly,
gauche,
gawky,
uncouth,
unrefined,
artless,
inelegant,
uncoordinated,
graceless,
cack-handed (informal),
unpolished,
clownish,
oafish,
inexpert,
maladroit,
all thumbs,
ungraceful,
skill-less,
unskilful,
butterfingered (informal),
unhandy,
ham-fisted or ham-handed (informal),
unco (Australian, slang)
Nearby words of
laboured
laborious
labour
Labour Party
laboured
labourer
labyrinth
labyrinthine
Related terms of
laboured
labour
Synonyms of 'laboured'
laboured
Explore 'laboured' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of forced
Definition
false or unnatural
a forced smile
Synonyms
false,
affected,
strained,
wooden,
stiff,
artificial,
contrived,
unnatural,
insincere,
laboured
in the sense of heavy
Definition
(of a situation) serious and causing anxiety or sadness
I don't want any more of that heavy stuff.
Synonyms
serious,
grave,
solemn,
difficult,
deep,
complex,
profound,
weighty,
hevE
in the sense of overwrought
He writes pretentious, overwrought poetry.
Synonyms
overelaborate,
contrived,
overdone,
flamboyant,
baroque,
high-flown,
ornate,
fussy,
flowery,
busy,
rococo,
florid,
grandiloquent,
euphuistic,
overembellished,
overornate
in the sense of ponderous
Definition
serious and dull
He had a dense, ponderous writing style.
Synonyms
dull,
laboured,
pedestrian,
dreary,
heavy,
tedious,
plodding,
tiresome,
lifeless,
stilted,
stodgy,
pedantic,
long-winded,
verbose,
prolix
in the sense of strained
Definition
(of an action, expression, etc.) not natural or spontaneous
His laughter seemed a little strained.
Synonyms
forced,
put on,
false,
artificial,
unnatural,
laboured
in the sense of unnatural
Definition
affected or forced
She gave him a bright, determined smile which seemed unnatural.