Augean

adjective

ȯ-ˈjē-ən How to pronounce Augean (audio)
Definition of Augeannext
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort dreaded the Augean task of cleaning the bathroom after an overflow of the toilet

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of Augean Removing Spurs’ mental block is like cleaning the Augean stables. — Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2026 Obasanjo’s return to power as a civilian leader was supposed to be an economic and political reset, a cleaning of the Augean stables. — Uzodinma Iweala, Foreign Affairs, 21 June 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for Augean
  1. difficult
  2. challenging
  3. rigorous
  4. demanding
  5. formidable
  6. tough
  7. toilsome
Adjective
  • The California Board of Pharmacy in 2025 reversed course on regulations that would have made the supplement more difficult to acquire after pushback from some firefighters.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Striking out on her own was a difficult transition, but embracing her solitude gave her the space to learn more about herself and make her own personal decisions, such as getting her cat or making meals of her choosing.
    — Amen Galinato, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of difficult
Adjective
  • Sharing her new life on social media helped give Hoadley a sense of empowerment despite her challenging circumstances.
    — Amen Galinato, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
  • The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter Carson McCullers’ remarkable debut novel tells a story of the American South, one set in Georgia and peopled with a cast of characters that exist in a rich, layered, and challenging reality.
    — Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of challenging
Adjective
  • Building trust requires a strong data foundation, rigorous quality standards and clear visibility into how insights are generated.
    — David Tobias, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Every personal finance product review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of mortgage products.
    — Kelsey Neubauer, CNBC, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of rigorous
Adjective
  • These quick tests reveal fine detail, dimensional accuracy, and whether the printer is over- or under-exposed, providing a consistent baseline before evaluating more demanding real-world prints.
    — Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The squad underwent intensive work in Portugal, where players generally had one long, demanding morning session, before being given time to recover, often with yoga and massages.
    — Paul Taylor, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of demanding
Adjective
  • Miami entered the game riding a seven-match unbeaten streak in league play and leading MLS with 45 goals, but facing a formidable foe in Nashville.
    — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 16 Aug. 2026
  • This one stars Cox himself as a mysterious and formidable old man in an undertaker’s suit and parson’s hat who wanders into an Arizona border town in 1890 to gather the names of dead Mexican laborers.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of formidable
Adjective
  • With men on first and third and nobody out that inning, second baseman Jackson Holliday fielded a tough grounder and threw to second, but shortstop Gunnar Henderson dropped the ball for an error and everyone was safe.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • As for footwear sales in the region, the second quarter saw a slowdown of sales of high-heat product, alongside tougher comparatives and ongoing softness in end-of-cycle footwear product lines.
    — Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of tough
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, Republicans lacked the votes to pass anything so their amendments tended to be trollish and toilsome fliers meant to either own the libs or just annoy the legislators.
    — Matt Ford, The New Republic, 9 Aug. 2022
  • Though the third quarter was significantly better for Netflix than its previous quarter, the company signaled that there could be toilsome times ahead.
    — Natalie Jarvey, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Oct. 2019
Definition of toilsome

Phrases Containing Augean

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Augean
Augean stable
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Cite this Entry

“Augean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Augean. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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