grueling

adjective

gru·​el·​ing ˈgrü-ə-liŋ 

variants or gruelling

: trying or taxing to the point of exhaustion : punishing

a grueling race

a grueling schedule

gruelingly

ˈgrü-ə-liŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms of grueling

• difficult
• challenging
• tough
• rigorous
• demanding
• hard
• formidable

Examples of grueling in a Sentence

running a marathon is grueling

cutting diamonds can be grueling work

Recent Examples on the Web

During her grueling treatment, Veerasawm’s sister, Allana, tragically died. — Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 1 Nov. 2026

During the hearing Friday several of the teens’ family members detailed their grueling loss before Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Andrea Ricker Wolfson. — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2026

Many veteran leaders express frustration, claiming that Generation Z lacks loyalty, demands too much flexibility or refuses to put in the grueling hours that previous generations accepted as the standard. — Kent Ingle, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026

Black workers — among them the tens of thousands drawn from Jamaica and Barbados to perform the most grueling excavation labor — were paid lower wages, housed in substandard quarters, and segregated at pay windows, hospitals, and schools. — Zachary Kranc, Sun Sentinel, 27 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

from present participle of obsolete gruel to exhaust, punish, from gruel, noun

First Known Use

1852, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for grueling

• refueling

Kids Definition

grueling

adjective

gru·​el·​ing

variants or gruelling

ˈgrü-ə-liŋ 

: requiring extreme effort : exhausting