grueling

adjective

gru·​el·​ing ˈgrü-ə-liŋ How to pronounce grueling (audio)
variants or gruelling
: trying or taxing to the point of exhaustion : punishing
a grueling race
gruelingly adverb

Examples of grueling in a Sentence

running a marathon is grueling cutting diamonds can be grueling work
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Jurors heard grueling accounts from Barnes’ mother Charlie Postell, his childhood best friend and Hurricanes teammate Earl Little and Lumpkins’ best friend, Keisha Carter. Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2025 At first, giving up soda was grueling. Julia Gomez, USA Today, 29 Oct. 2025 Unfortunately, the scene proved unexpectedly grueling for the author. Jordan Runtagh, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025 The Horned Frogs have a bye next week before a grueling four-game stretch to finish the regular season. Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for grueling

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1852, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of grueling was in 1852

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Grueling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grueling. Accessed 1 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

grueling

adjective
gru·​el·​ing
variants or gruelling
: requiring extreme effort : exhausting

More from Merriam-Webster on grueling

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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