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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Recent Examples of effortful
Igor’s eyes were cloudy, and his chest rattled with effortful breathing.
—
Brandon Taylor, The Atlantic, 4 Jan. 2025
Cronin said that the Ducks’ recent pair of losses to the Kings – the Ducks also lost to their crosstown rivals, 3-2, on Saturday in Ontario – demonstrated some of what his club should emulate in terms of effortful shot-blocking and aggressive forechecking.
—Andrew Knoll, Orange County Register, 1 Oct. 2024
But researchers still don’t fully understand why some people value effortful options more than others do.
—Piotr Winkielman, The Conversation, 4 Apr. 2025
Sometimes, stars on SNL are born of effortful attention-seeking.
—Dennis Perkins, EW.com, 16 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for effortful
Brandon Taylor, The Atlantic, 4 Jan. 2025
Cronin said that the Ducks’ recent pair of losses to the Kings – the Ducks also lost to their crosstown rivals, 3-2, on Saturday in Ontario – demonstrated some of what his club should emulate in terms of effortful shot-blocking and aggressive forechecking.
—Andrew Knoll, Orange County Register, 1 Oct. 2024
But researchers still don’t fully understand why some people value effortful options more than others do.
—Piotr Winkielman, The Conversation, 4 Apr. 2025
Sometimes, stars on SNL are born of effortful attention-seeking.
—Dennis Perkins, EW.com, 16 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for effortful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for effortful
Adjective
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Two of Elissa’s tumors were obliterated that day, but the third was too difficult to reach without repositioning Elissa’s body in a way that would have taken too much time under anesthesia.—
Kristen Jordan Shamus,
USA Today,
19 May 2025
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Luca Solca sector head for global luxury goods at Bernstein Clouding the picture further, many other premium Swiss watchmakers including Rolex, Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet, are privately owned, making their performance difficult to decipher.—
Karen Gilchrist,
CNBC,
18 May 2025
Adjective
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Despite being born into a socioeconomically challenging environment, Muhammad realized early that empowerment could come from knowledge.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
10 May 2025
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Saving for retirement has become more challenging for many reasons.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 May 2025
Adjective
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Digital forensics demands rigorous methodology to ensure evidence integrity and reliable findings.—
Lars Daniel,
Forbes.com,
12 May 2025
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Members have included figures such as Benjamin Franklin, Charles Darwin and Martin Luther King Jr. New members are chosen through a rigorous nomination and election process, according to the academy.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
12 May 2025
Adjective
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But his sharpness increased as the tournament progressed, especially in the semi-final against his toughest opponent on paper, Stephen Nedoroscik.—
Conor O'Neill,
New York Times,
10 May 2025
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Dodging tough questions without seeming a bit evasive.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
10 May 2025
Adjective
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Improving the air traffic system will also require the coordination of tens of thousands of safety workers in one of the country’s most demanding professions.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
8 May 2025
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After all those frustrating hamstring injuries, perhaps operating in a slightly less demanding role can play a part in avoiding another setback.—
Simon Johnson,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Sandoval has received some pay bumps, including a temporary $10,000-a-year bonus for Hawaii special education teachers designed to alleviate shortages in that and other hard-to-staff areas.—
Alia Wong,
USA TODAY,
14 Feb. 2023
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Whether those numbers are an overstatement, or possibly an understatement, is hard to say.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes,
13 Feb. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Effortful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/effortful. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
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