travail: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal or literary
Quick answer
What does “travail” mean?
Hard work or labor, especially involving pain, suffering, or difficulty.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Hard work or labor, especially involving pain, suffering, or difficulty.
Can refer to the pains of childbirth or metaphorically to any arduous effort, struggle, or ordeal.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is similar in both varieties, but may be slightly more prevalent in British English in literary contexts.
Connotations
Implies strenuous effort with an element of hardship or distress in both dialects.
Frequency
Rare in casual speech; more common in written English, such as formal, historical, or poetic texts.
Grammar
How to Use “travail” in a Sentence
travail over somethingtravail through somethingtravail to achieve somethingVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “travail” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- She travailed for decades to perfect her craft.
American English
- He travailed through the complex negotiations successfully.
adjective
British English
- The travail-filled expedition tested their limits.
American English
- His travail-laden career was marked by constant challenges.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used; might appear in formal reports or speeches describing significant challenges or hardships.
Academic
Used in fields like literature, history, or sociology to denote struggles, hardships, or painful efforts.
Everyday
Very rare; typically reserved for poetic, elevated, or formal speech rather than casual conversation.
Technical
In medical contexts, specifically refers to the pains of childbirth.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “travail”
- Mispronouncing as /ˈtræv.əl/ (like 'travel')
- Using it in informal contexts where 'work' or 'effort' is more appropriate.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a formal or literary word and is rarely used in casual conversation.
Yes, it can function as a noun meaning hard labor with suffering, and as a verb meaning to work hard or endure hardship.
'Travail' specifically implies hardship, pain, or suffering, whereas 'work' is a neutral term for any effort or labor.
In American English, it is typically pronounced as /trəˈveɪl/.
Hard work or labor, especially involving pain, suffering, or difficulty.
Travail is usually formal or literary in register.
Travail: in British English it is pronounced /ˈtræv.eɪl/, and in American English it is pronounced /trəˈveɪl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “the travails of life”
- “in travail with”
- “through travail and toil”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'travel' with 'ail' – imagine traveling with an ailment, implying difficult or painful work.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE IS A JOURNEY WITH HARDSHIPS or WORK IS SUFFERING
Practice
Quiz
What is the core meaning of 'travail'?