EFFORTFUL Synonyms: 100 Similar and Opposite Words

effortful

adjective

ˈe-fərt-fəl

Definition of effortful

as in difficult

requiring considerable physical or mental effort the book's abstruse subject matter and dense prose make for effortful reading

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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 effortful The same goes for anyone who finds visualization mentally effortful in a way that feels alerting rather than relaxing. — Angela Haupt, Time, 5 May 2026 But this Roundabout production at Studio 54 — the site of glittering debauchery of another era — just isn’t all that much fun, being mostly effortful, maddening and finally exhausting. — Frank Rizzo, Variety, 24 Apr. 2026 Now came the surprise of my effortful steps, the shock of how unyielding the dress’s shell was, as if I were being held in place by a firm hand. — Han Ong, New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2026 What a transformation that would’ve been, of the effortful, unchanging days. — Nell Freudenberger, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for effortful

Recent Examples of Synonyms for effortful

Adjective

Unlike dogs, they cannot simply be taken on longer walks, often resist dietary changes, and can be difficult to medicate consistently, making GLP-1 therapies potentially attractive if clinical trials prove successful.

— Elsa Ohlen,Carolin Roth, CNBC, 18 July 2026
Their stories recount the devastation to homes and businesses, life in temporary shelters, and the difficult process of rebuilding or relocating.

— Michelle Oliva-Espinosa, Kansas City Star, 18 July 2026

Definition of difficult

Adjective

The method also relies on multiple Bell tests and assumptions about independent quantum sources, which could make large-scale implementation challenging.

— Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 18 July 2026
His 15-point first half Thursday included two threes, a high-degree-of-difficulty turnaround jumper and another challenging jumper.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026

Definition of challenging

Adjective

For more than two decades, the duo hauled in more than 4 pounds of clams each morning from the lagoon in the Po River Delta — upending the notion that women were unsuited for such a rigorous job.

— Kasha Patel, CNN Money, 18 July 2026
Over the summer, kids might not have had to stick to a rigorous morning routine, but that all changes during the school year.

— Parents, Parents, 17 July 2026

Definition of rigorous

Adjective

White, when give the chance, has displayed a diverse offensive game, a defensive bent and an ability to make tough shots.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026
The stakes for new avatar don’t feel quite as high—the specific circumstances around the former was a perfect storm that'll be tough to duplicate—but the music isn’t any less potent for it.

— Lawrence Burney, Pitchfork, 16 July 2026

Definition of tough

Adjective

Those efforts produced significant performance and efficiency gains for several of the laboratory’s most demanding applications.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 July 2026
Yzerman was known as a demanding, intimidating general manager who could grind players in negotiations.

— Max Bultman, New York Times, 17 July 2026

Definition of demanding

Adjective

Essentially a rock has met a hard place – at the mouth of the Persian Gulf.

— Tim Lister, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
Remember, all this hard work to discover all these things has been done in the midst of designing a ballroom, cleaning up the reflecting pool and a host of other busy things the president and his administration have been doing.

— Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 July 2026

Definition of hard

Browse Nearby Words

effort

effortful

effortfulness

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“Effortful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/effortful. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of effortful

adjective

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