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

The Ironman triathlon is one of the most grueling endurance events in the world, attracting thousands of athletes each year to its global races. —Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 1 Oct. 2025

But teams also need a deep supporting cast to help get through four grueling rounds of playoff hockey. —The Athletic Nhl, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025

After a grueling eight-hour wait with 10,000 other hopefuls, Nader was one of six girls who passed the test and made it into the issue. —Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 25 Sep. 2025

Season 1 premiered in the summer of 2000 with 16 people looking to survive the elements of a remote area in Borneo, Malaysia, for 39 days while competing in grueling challenges, all while trying to avoid being voted out at tribal councils. —Christopher Kuhagen, jsonline.com, 24 Sep. 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