grueling

adjective

gru·​el·​ing ˈgrü-ə-liŋ 

variants or gruelling

: trying or taxing to the point of exhaustion : punishing

a grueling race

gruelingly

ˈgrü-ə-liŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms

• difficult
• challenging
• demanding
• tough
• rigorous
• tall
• hard

Examples of grueling in a Sentence

running a marathon is grueling

cutting diamonds can be grueling work

Recent Examples on the Web

With only a few weeks until the 2025-26 NFL season kicks off, teams across the pro football league are getting their rosters set and their players ready for a grueling season of hard-hitting and thrilling action. —Rudie Obias, HollywoodReporter, 6 Aug. 2025

Penny expects to be running again in six to nine months, but nothing that would be grueling on the heart, like a marathon, Conner said. —Nicole Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025

The pace was grueling: five-day work weeks that began at 6 a.m. on Monday and finished at 7 a.m. on Saturday. —Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 29 July 2025

Angel Reese is expected to return from a back injury Tuesday against the Washington Mystics, but the rest of the roster is still mostly battered from a grueling season. —Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 28 July 2025

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