as in to overwhelm
to subject to incapacitating emotional or mental stress
the workers are being ground down by the long work hours which leave them little time for anything else
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grind (down)
Verb
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Duncyte, the master’s student from Lithuania, said she was immediately overwhelmed by Colorado’s beauty and wildlife.—
Sam Tabachnik,
Denver Post,
6 Jan. 2026 -
Families will drop their plans, get sicker and even die without essential treatment, and hospitals will be overwhelmed with untreated people coming to the emergency room.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Among those highlighted will be Amanda, a refugee and the first Miss Trans Global Uganda; Sarah, who overcame sight loss to support LGBTQ+ people with disabilities while running marathons; and Leo, a speaker and life coach with dyskinetic cerebral palsy.—
Sophie Williams,
Billboard,
6 Nov. 2025
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Fortunately, modern nandina cultivars like 'Lemon-Lime' from the Southern Living Plant Collection have been bred to overcome these problems.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Last year’s devastating drought in the Amazon Basin was made 30 times more likely by climate change, according to a report from World Weather Attribution, a network of scientists that analyze extreme weather events.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
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Earlier this year, California’s devastating Eaton Fire destroyed much of Altadena, a diverse, creative community just north of Pasadena.—
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
6 Nov. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Grind (down).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grind%20%28down%29. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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