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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Abrego Garcia’s lawyers have argued that travel to Moshannon is far more difficult for members of the defense team based in Nashville, and not easier for those in New York.—
Christine Valora,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Sep. 2025
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Senator Collins has proven in the past to be able to win in very difficult environments, 2008 being an example of that.—
Andrew Stanton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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More than 3 million clinicians have trusted the tool for over three decades and are already using it to find best practices for challenging, complex medical cases.—
Alexis Kayser,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
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Sometimes finding the comment section in the wee hours has been more challenging than the puzzle itself.—
Mark Cooper,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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An editor approached me with a tough assignment of tasting, evaluating and reviewing a chicken Caesar wrap.—
Susan Selasky,
Freep.com,
27 Sep. 2025
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The news that Aleksander Barkov will all but assuredly miss all of the 2025-26 season after undergoing surgery on Friday to repair the ACL and MCL in right knee was tough for the Florida Panthers to hear.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
27 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Every tax article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors.—
David McMillin,
CNBC,
28 Sep. 2025
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The National Nuclear Security Administration funds the sensors, which undergo rigorous shock, vibration, thermal vacuum, and prompt X-ray testing to survive launch and the harsh space environment.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Oh, and New Amy also discovers than everyone pretty much hated Old Amy, who was a demanding, uncompromising chief of internal medicine with no time for niceties.—
Julie Hinds,
Freep.com,
23 Sep. 2025
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The work is physically demanding and emotionally draining.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Some of those have of a combination of both, but MetLife Stadium is hard of playing surface as there is in the league.—
Mark Kern,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Sep. 2025
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When Jason Wald, VP of production, pitched him on Longlegs with a two-minute clip, his instinct was to give the film a hard no.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Technological challenges also proved formidable, as ambitious projects like Sealab failed.—
Danny Robb,
JSTOR Daily,
26 Sep. 2025
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Ong will discuss the strategies and creative principles behind the media giant’s approach to leveraging its formidable library of IP in the gaming world.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The wave was expected to move west-northwestward at around 15 to 20 miles per hour, bringing heavy rain and winds to Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the Dominican Republic on Tuesday.—
Joe Edwards,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
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The Cowboys’ zone-heavy defense under new coordinator Matt Eberflus has given up far too many explosive plays in the passing game over the past two weeks.—
Jon Machota,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Backbreaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backbreaking. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
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