Cool MateLabour vs Toil
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Labour
Top 2,000 (common)B2noun
Toil
Top 3,000 (common)B1verb
Most common: Labour
| Labour | Toil | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈleɪbə(r)/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈleɪbər/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //tɔɪl//🇺🇸 //tɔɪl// |
| Meaning | Physical work, especially hard work. | To work very hard or struggle. |
| Example | The workers organized a strike to demand better conditions and fair labour practices. | She had toiling hours on the farm from dawn to dusk. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 3,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | B1 |
| Part of speech | noun | verb |
| Collocations | manual, physical, back-breaking, withdraw, productivity, camp, manual, physical, back-breaking, withdraw, productivity, camp, free, organized, wage, force, market, pool, difficult, easy, long, go into, induce, room, ward, pains, in labour | toil away, toil in the fields, toil for success |
| Antonyms | leisure, idleness, inactivity | rest, idle, relax |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'labor' (American English spelling)., Using 'labour' as a verb incorrectly., Overusing 'labour' in casual conversations; better to use 'work' instead. | Confused with 'boil' in pronunciation., Using it in a context where less effort is implied., Misunderstanding it as only physical labor. |
| Usage notes | Use 'labour' in contexts related to work, especially when discussing physical tasks or efforts. Avoid in casual settings without a clear reference to work. | Used in both formal and informal contexts, often emphasizes hard work or effort over a long period. |
Frequently asked questions: Labour vs Toil
What's the difference between Labour and Toil?
Labour: Physical work, especially hard work. Toil: To work very hard or struggle.
Which is more common: Labour and Toil?
Labour is the most common in everyday English.
Are Labour and Toil the same CEFR level?
Labour: B2, Toil: B1 on the CEFR scale.
Can I use Labour and Toil interchangeably?
Not always. Labour and Toil are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.