Belabored

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Marked by an irrepressible elaboration that often results in unwieldy expression
2. Extended or drawn out in a way that overemphasizes or overexplains a subject
3. Characterized by spending too much time or effort on a point or topic beyond necessity

Etymology: Its oldest sense has nothing to do with writing. To belabor someone originally meant to beat them thoroughly, with a stick or fists. The figurative sense, pounding a point over and over until it is exhausted, grew out of that physical meaning. The word is built from "be-", an intensifying prefix, and "labor", which traces back to Latin "labor", meaning toil or hard work. The core idea is working over something thoroughly, and the adjective describes a piece of writing or speech that has been worked over so relentlessly that it becomes cumbersome.

Synonyms: overworked, excessive, forced, strained, labored

Antonyms: natural, easy, simple, smooth, unforced