as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
dreaded the Augean task of cleaning the bathroom after an overflow of the toilet
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Recent Examples of Augean
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
Uzodinma Iweala, Foreign Affairs, 21 June 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for Augean
Adjective
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There were also high-arcing 3-pointers that touched nothing but the net, a difficult runner through contact that went in, and the kind of gravity that gave Kristaps Porzingis a layup just by cutting into space while the big man dove.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Some things in life are difficult.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Without adequate feedback, support and professional development, employees are likely to seek a more challenging environment.—
Ashton Jackson,
CNBC,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Engage your brain through reading and intellectually challenging tasks.—
Rob Williams,
EverydayHealth.com,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Early analyses have begun to link genes to traits such as drought tolerance and temperature adaptation, but researchers say more rigorous work is needed to confirm those links before they can be used to guide restoration.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Every personal finance article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors.—
Nicoletta Richardson,
CNBC,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The hours were long, stressful, and emotionally demanding.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
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Wheeler coach Larry Thompson saw Landrew’s basketball IQ and physical toughness lead his team through some of its most demanding moments.—
Jack Leo,
AJC.com,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In my view, the key obstacle to creating future generations of nonsmokers is that people do not fully understand how dangerous smoking is and do not realize the formidable influence of the tobacco industry.—
Marie Helweg-Larsen,
The Conversation,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Motivated Mars activates your 6th House of Well-being as of today, motivating you to reconfigure routines and direct your formidable focus toward the tasks that truly count.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
As the inspirational Moon glides into your 7th House of Allies, your expressive nature invites connection, and your generous spirit lightens tough conversations.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
10 Apr. 2026
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One factor is that the Highlanders, a Division 3 team, haven’t faced the toughest schedule.—
Don Norcross,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Augean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Augean. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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