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grind (down)

verb

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)
  1. overwhelm
  2. overcome
  3. devastate
Verb
  • Volunteers will remove vines and other vegetation that can overwhelm young trees and shrubs and, when conditions permit, plant new trees and shrubs.
    — Susan Soldavin, Baltimore Sun, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Christian McCaffrey became the fourth-fastest player in the Super Bowl era with 100 career touchdowns, Brock Purdy played a near-perfect game and the 49ers overwhelmed the Miami Dolphins 35-13 on Sunday.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of overwhelm
Verb
  • Social and playful 694 faces Katmai Brady Bunch member 620, while two bears that overcame incredible odds, 610 and 89 (Backpack), vie for votes in the other first round fight.
    — Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 25 Sep. 2026
  • At a meeting of the group's board, the governors unveiled a 66-project blueprint to get things started while acknowledging enormous hurdles that must still be overcome.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of overcome
Verb
  • The horrors for women and girls are prevalent everywhere, Theron said, but her native South Africa is particularly devastated by it.
    — Angelique Jackson, Variety, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Florida citrus growers are planting trees with gene-editing technology to combat the deadly citrus greening disease that has devastated many of their crops.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of devastate
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

grind
grind (down)
grinder
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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 27 Sep. 2026.

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