as in labored
to devote serious and sustained effort
grubbing away at the yard work before the first snow of the season
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grubbed
Verb
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When the novel opens in Florence, in 1557, the body of the painter Jacopo da Pontormo lies in the chapel of San Lorenzo—in front of the frescoes he’d labored over for a decade, with a painter’s chisel stuck in his heart.—
Boris Kachka,
The Atlantic,
13 Feb. 2026 -
Aster didn’t micromanage as Tracy labored over the script and suffered a bout of COVID during lockdown.—
Anne Thompson,
IndieWire,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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With its dynamic freshman depleted from flu and another starter, Chad Baker-Mazara, still out due to injury, USC struggled to find a consistent source of offense.—
Ryan Kartje,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
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Founder Sherille Riley, who previously worked as a facialist for high-end brands like La Prairie and Crème de la Mer, had until recently struggled to shop for K-beauty in person and initially bought the products online – only to run the risk of long shipping times or unknowingly buying a fake.—
Kati Chitrakorn,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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More famously, Sven Marquardt, worked as a selector for Berghain for almost two decades.—
Jessica Chapel,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Feb. 2026
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The move to Connecticut came later, and Bessette also worked throughout her teen-age years.—
Doreen St. Félix,
New Yorker,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Crews have recently had to make repairs on major roads, including ones that see heavy traffic or that Louisville’s Snow Team frequently plowed.—
Caroline Neal,
Louisville Courier Journal,
12 Feb. 2026
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Use extra caution while driving, as cold temperatures and wind can create icy road conditions, and snow plowed to the roadway edges may reduce sight lines at intersection.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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One month later, Turning Point’s flagship conference descended into recriminations over the very controversies and conspiracies that its founder had endeavored so assiduously to suppress.—
Yair Rosenberg,
The Atlantic,
4 Feb. 2026
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During his short time in office, Garfield endeavored to clean up the government.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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While the Trojans tried to find their footing, the Illini built a 22-point halftime lead with little resistance.—
Ryan Kartje,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
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There were reports that a male passenger on Flight 2557 from Houston's Hobby Airport to Atlanta had tried to break into the cockpit, but that wasn't the case, Delta Air Lines said in a statement.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
19 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Grubbed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grubbed. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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