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

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for grind (down)
Verb
  • But courts were overwhelmed by a flood of asylum seekers—a long-standing systemic shortage exacerbated by Biden’s inclusive policies.
    Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
  • And the first-half performance in Seville, as Postecoglou’s side overwhelmed a very strong Real Betis, was enough to prompt a huge sense of positivity.
    Paul Taylor, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • For Woodruff, The Green Kitchen was born out of her own healing journey after overcoming the Epstein-Barr virus and heavy metal toxicity through mindful eating and nutrient-dense foods.
    Wyles Daniel, AZCentral.com, 2 Oct. 2025
  • The six-week course, according to a syllabus, blends positive thinking with business and money strategies, offering advice on how to outwork the competition, manage ego, overcome failure and set goals — with homework assignments included.
    Liam Quinn, PEOPLE, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • And that doesn’t change when the relationships in the middle of a dispute are the ones between Prince William and Prince Harry, and the one feeling devastated by the feud is Prince George.
    Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 2 Oct. 2025
  • But none appears set to devastate his team’s chances of contention as has that of Burrow.
    Mike Jones, New York Times, 2 Oct. 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.

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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 6 Oct. 2025.

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