as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
modern machinery has significantly eased the backbreaking work of farming
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of backbreaking
The Kings were leading 80-60 at the time and led by as many as 26 in the game, dealing the Blazers’ playoff chase a backbreaking blow.
—
oregonlive, 8 Mar. 2020
Drawing on unprecedented research, Chang shows how these men performed some of the most dangerous, most backbreaking work to build out the railroad from California, yet received virtually no credit for their contributions.
—Chris Fuchs, NBC News, 5 Nov. 2019
Plus, large shovels hold a backbreaking amount of snow.
—James Jackson, Popular Mechanics, 18 Sep. 2019
Spraying fields with pesticides and fertilizers, the drones -- which can cover up to 60 acres a day -- could boost crop yields, save time and make backbreaking field work much easier, according to Bug Away.
—Sarah Lazarus and Dan Tham, CNN, 3 July 2019
See All Example Sentences for backbreaking
oregonlive, 8 Mar. 2020
Drawing on unprecedented research, Chang shows how these men performed some of the most dangerous, most backbreaking work to build out the railroad from California, yet received virtually no credit for their contributions.
—Chris Fuchs, NBC News, 5 Nov. 2019
Plus, large shovels hold a backbreaking amount of snow.
—James Jackson, Popular Mechanics, 18 Sep. 2019
Spraying fields with pesticides and fertilizers, the drones -- which can cover up to 60 acres a day -- could boost crop yields, save time and make backbreaking field work much easier, according to Bug Away.
—Sarah Lazarus and Dan Tham, CNN, 3 July 2019
See All Example Sentences for backbreaking
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backbreaking
Adjective
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Travel could be very difficult to impossible.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
12 Oct. 2025
-
This Is My Story While Israel and Hamas have accepted the two-phase agreement, many of the more difficult issues have been left unresolved.—
Richard Hall,
Time,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The mother of five admitted that being away from her family for long periods of time was challenging, but the sacrifice was necessary for Jordan’s athletic development.—
Nasha Smith,
PEOPLE,
14 Oct. 2025
-
The second, more challenging phase — aimed at dismantling Hamas and deciding Gaza’s future leadership — has yet to be negotiated.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The end result of a tough negotiation that included a nearly two-week blackout of Disney channels on Charter in 2023 was a much closer working relationship between the two.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
11 Oct. 2025
-
Just a week after giving birth, Menish took her six-hour Evidence exam from home in December 2023 — one of the toughest finals in the curriculum.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Here’s how all four teams look heading into their Championship Series, along with some rigorous, confident analysis for each team.—
Grant Brisbee,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
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Whereas degree programs have to go through rigorous faculty and administrative oversight, which can take years, non-degree programs don’t require the same kind of oversight.—
Chris Quintana,
USA Today,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Some of those ticketholders sued the Astros claiming fraud and demanding refunds.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
13 Oct. 2025
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This training camp, with a new strength and conditioning staff, the Sabres talked about how demanding practice was and how a long list of players reported to camp in great shape.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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That’s the beauty of the league — every play matters and every play is hard to execute.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Oct. 2025
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And help may be harder to find because some insurers no longer pay brokers commissions for new business.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Rip currents are formidable natural forces, but knowing how to react can significantly increase your chances of safely navigating these challenging waters.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Oct. 2025
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With the Eagles’ offensive line not as formidable as last season, Barkley was back to his feast or famine style.—
Dan Duggan,
New York Times,
11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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But more psychologists and mental health practitioners are working to address the ways the disease—with its constant demands to manage insulin and blood glucose levels—takes a heavy toll on the mind.—
Lauren J. Young,
Scientific American,
14 Oct. 2025
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Separating a single photon has been described as a feat equivalent to differentiating between the sound of a single grain of sand falling while heavy rains and lightning strikes occur.—
Abhishek Bhardwaj,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Backbreaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backbreaking. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
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