travail

[truh-veyl, trav-eyl]

travail Definition

• 1. painful or laborious effort
• 2. physical or mental exertion
• 3. a painful process of childbirth or labor

Using travail: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "travail" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

• Example

  The travail of writing a novel can be overwhelming.

• Example

  The company went through the travail of restructuring.

• Example

  She experienced a long and difficult travail during childbirth.

travail Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for travail

• effort
• exertion
• toil
• struggle
• hardship

Phrases with travail

• travail of the soul

  a spiritual struggle or inner turmoil

  Example

  He was going through a travail of the soul as he tried to reconcile his beliefs with his actions.

• travail of love

  the difficulties and challenges that come with being in a romantic relationship

  Example

  Their relationship had its ups and downs, but they were willing to go through the travail of love together.

• travail of war

  the hardships and suffering caused by war

  Example

  The soldiers endured the travail of war, facing danger and uncertainty every day.

Origins of travail

from Old French 'travailler', meaning 'to work'

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Summary: travail in Brief

The term 'travail' [truh-veyl, trav-eyl] refers to painful or laborious effort, whether physical or mental. It can also refer to the painful process of childbirth. Examples include 'The travail of writing a novel can be overwhelming,' and 'She experienced a long and difficult travail during childbirth.' 'Travail' extends into phrases like 'travail of the soul,' referring to spiritual struggles, and 'travail of love,' denoting the difficulties of romantic relationships.