painstaking
Done with great care and attention to every detail.
painstaking in a sentence
- The model ship was the result of months of painstaking work.
- The detective made a painstaking search of the room.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to painstaking?
- Ahasty
- Bmeticulous
- Ccareless
- Dsloppy
Show the answer
B: meticulous. The other three mean the opposite of painstaking.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to painstaking?
- Athorough
- Bcareful
- Ccareless
- Dmeticulous
Show the answer
C: careless. The other three mean nearly the same as painstaking.
Words that mean something similar
meticulous, thorough, careful
Words that mean the opposite
careless, hasty, sloppy
More words about behaviour & manners
- pamper: To look after someone with too much care and comfort.
- pardon: To forgive someone for something they have done wrong.
- pester: To annoy someone by bothering them again and again.
- plunder: To steal goods by force, especially during a battle or raid.
- prim: Very neat, proper and easily shocked by rude things.
- privilege: A special right or advantage that only some people have.
- prohibit: To officially say that something is not allowed.
- provoke: To deliberately make someone angry or cause a reaction.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test