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

And when her husband was diagnosed with cancer and underwent two grueling weeks of treatment, those thoughts became more of a reality. —Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 11 Dec. 2025

It’s been a grueling process for veteran quarterback Deshaun Watson to get back on the field after rupturing his Achilles last season and then re-injuring it during the offseason. —Cole Sullivan, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2025

After a grueling season that saw Inter Miami play 58 matches over various competitions, Lionel Messi and the pink and black-clad squad capped the Major League Soccer season with its first league championship. —Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 7 Dec. 2025

Next steps Rest from a grueling, three-game stretch and recover from injuries to get healthy for the final part of the season. —CBS News, 6 Dec. 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