Painstaking
mediumPositive tonePAYNZ-tay-king
adjective
Definition
Done with or employing great care and thoroughness
Memory hook
Taking PAINS to get every detail right — painstaking means extremely careful and thorough.
Examples
“The painstaking restoration took three years.”
“Her painstaking research uncovered new evidence.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“The ______ restoration took three years.”
Show answer
painstaking
Synonyms
Antonyms
Categories
GRE Tip
Painstaking is a medium-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "meticulous" or "scrupulous" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "careless".
Related GRE Words
conscientious
Wishing to do what is right, especially to do one's work properly
meticulous
Showing great attention to detail; very careful and precise
exhaustive
Including or considering all elements or aspects; fully comprehensive
fastidious
Very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail
comprehensive
Complete; including all or nearly all elements or aspects
industrious
Diligent and hard-working
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