grind (down)

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

Relevance

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for grind (down)
Verb
  • For example, colorful hardware in a small kitchen with a lot of cabinets can overwhelm the space with visual clutter rather than color.
    Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 June 2025
  • Almost immediately, the new facility was overwhelmed: Between the year of its founding and 1887, 44 percent of the women admitted into San Clemente were pellagrous.
    Asia London Palomba, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • Learning how to overcome your own anxiety is the first step to helping your kids do the same, said Robbins.
    Ashton Jackson, CNBC, 30 May 2025
  • The odds remain against them — only 16.1% of teams have overcome a 3-2 deficit in NBA playoff history — but the Knicks are coming off their best all-around performance of the series.
    Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 30 May 2025
Verb
  • Sand, breeze blocks, storm shutters—these are materials of survival and exclusion, shaped by the hurricanes that regularly devastate her homeland.
    Nargess Banks, Forbes.com, 26 May 2025
  • The announcement comes after the Trump administration decided that Arkansas won't receive federal funds to repair infrastructure damaged by the March tornadoes that devastated much of north Arkansas, instead leaving it to the state and localities to pay for the clean-up.
    Neal Earley, Arkansas Online, 23 May 2025
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.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Grind (down).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grind%20%28down%29. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!