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

Ukraine's strike campaign started out earnestly in 2024 but has significantly intensified this year, helping Ukraine gain momentum in a grueling war of attrition that has persisted for more than four years since Russia's full-scale invasion. — Brittney Melton, NPR, 30 June 2026

For China’s grueling annual college entrance exam earlier this month – which more than 10 million hopefuls take each year – authorities required screening of all glasses. — John Liu, CNN Money, 27 June 2026

The constant flow of advice and tips of the trade are needed in a grueling 162-game season. — Kansas City Star, 25 June 2026

Trump praises Zelensky Western officials and analysts say Ukraine’s prospects have improved after more than four years of a grueling war of attrition as its domestic development and production of cutting-edge drones pin down the bigger Russian army. — Illia Novikov, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 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