2 syllables: la, bored. Stress on la.
LAY-burd
/ˈleɪbɚd/
labored is pronounced LAY-burd (/ˈleɪbɚd/). It has two syllables (la-bored), with the stress on "la". Labored is an adjective or verb form describing something done with great effort or seeming to require effort. It often conveys that action or movement is performed slowly, with difficulty, or under strain. In phrase usage, it can indicate physical exertion or mental effort, or describe speech or breathing that is heavy or labored.
Labored is an adjective or verb form describing something done with great effort or seeming to require effort. It often conveys that action or movement is performed slowly, with difficulty, or under strain. In phrase usage, it can indicate physical exertion or mental effort, or describe speech or breathing that is heavy or labored.
"Her labored steps spilled dust as she pushed open the squeaking door."
"The patient spoke in a labored whisper, clearly exhausted from the ordeal."
"His labored attempt at solving the puzzle finally paid off after several hints."
Pronounce as /ˈleɪ.bɚd/ in US English, with primary stress on the first syllable. In UK English, it's /ˈleɪ.bəd/, with a schwa in the second syllable and reduced vowel quality. In Australian English, many speakers align with /ˈleɪ.bəd/ as well, though some regional accents may show a slightly less rhotic final consonant. Focus on the bright 'lay' vowel in the first syllable and a gentle, short second syllable; avoid elongating the second syllable. IPA guides: US /ˈleɪ.bɚd/, UK /ˈleɪ.bəd/, AU /ˈleɪ.bəd/.
Common mistakes include: misplacing the stress (putting it on the second syllable), confusing the second syllable vowel with a full 'ed' like 'red', and pronouncing the final 'ed' as a hard 'd' consonant in non-rhotic accents. Correction: keep primary stress on the first syllable /ˈleɪ/ and reduce the second syllable to /bɚd/ (US) or /bəd/ (UK/AU). Ensure the second vowel is a quick, unstressed schwa or rhotacized vowel depending on accent; avoid a drawn-out second syllable.
US English: rhotic final, final 'r' not present in 'labored' cluster; second syllable 'ered' is /ərd/ or /ɚd/ depending on speaker. UK/Non-rhotic tendencies: second syllable often /əd/ with weak vowel; sometimes a schwa plus a soft 'd'. Australian: tends toward /ˈleɪ.bəd/ with less pronounced rhoticity, similar to UK, but vowel quality can shift toward a centralized vowel in some regions. The main differences are rhoticity and the exact quality of the second syllable vowel; stress remains on the first syllable in all three varieties.
The challenge rests on the two-syllable balance and the reduced second syllable. The first syllable carries the main stress with a long diphthong /eɪ/ as in 'lay', while the second syllable uses a short, reduced vowel that can be confusing for learners, leading to over-emphasis. Additionally, Americans often insert an rhotic vowel in the final syllable, which can alter the perceived endings. Focus on precise vowel length and reduced vowel in the second syllable to avoid over-articulation.
No. All letters contribute to the pronunciation, but the second syllable uses a reduced vowel that can feel subtle. In American and Australian pronunciations, the 'e' in '-ed' is partly vocalized as /ɚ/ or /ər/ depending on dialect, but it is not silent. The 'ed' ending is pronounced as a single light syllable rather than a full syllable, so ensure you’re not trying to pronounce multiple distinct vowels in the second syllable.
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US: emphasize rhotic /ɚ/ in the second syllable; ensure /leɪ/ stays bright. UK/AU: more reduced /ə/ in the second syllable; softer rhotic presence; vowel in first syllable remains /eɪ/. Use IPA cues: US /ˈleɚd? Not quite; it’s /ˈleɪ.bɚd/. Ensure the tensed diphthong /eɪ/ is precise and distinct, and the second syllable uses a light central vowel. In non-rhotic UK, the second syllable leans toward /d/ with /ə/; practice separating the sounds but not elongating them. AU demonstrates a blend of both, but often closer to UK, still with a light /ɪ/ or /ə/ for the second vowel when unstressed.
Labored comes from the past participle of labor, with roots in the Latin laborare meaning to toil or work. In English, labor originally carried strong connotations of physical exertion or effort. Over time, the word extended to describe mental exertion, mechanical effort, and even speech that is heavy or effortful. The form labored (as in she labored) exists in both transitive and intransitive senses, while laboratory is a unrelated noun derived from Latin laboratorium. The sense evolution tracks from general toil to adjectives describing processes and actions characterized by effort. First known uses trace to Middle English, influenced by Old French laboral or laborer terms, with sustained usage in medical and mechanical contexts during the 17th–19th centuries as industrialization intensified notions of effort and exertion.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "labored" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "labored" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "labored"
-red sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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