grind (down)

Definition of grind (down)next
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
  • This is the monthly observing window — when moonlight no longer overwhelms the fainter stars and the sky begins to reveal itself again.
    Jamie Carter, Space.com, 8 May 2026
  • Through its trademark, Federal Retirement Made Simple™, this observation has informed FEBA’s ongoing focus on education, with an emphasis on making complex systems more understandable without overwhelming the individual.
    Jason Phillips, USA Today, 8 May 2026
Verb
  • How Disney’s founder, namesake, and first CEO overcame the crisis of his day may give D’Amaro a blueprint for his.
    Roland Betancourt, Fortune, 28 Apr. 2026
  • But even more inspiring was their determination to overcome enormous losses and difficulties to try to make new lives for themselves.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The deadly fires that devastated homes in Pacific Palisades and Altadena also laid waste to a lush canopy of leaves and pine needles that had cooled and shaded residents here for generations.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
  • Such local weather events have devastated rural communities in recent years.
    Lauren Sommer, NPR, 7 May 2026
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.

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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 10 May. 2026.

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