as in laboring
to devote serious and sustained effort
grubbing away at the yard work before the first snow of the season
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Recent Examples of grubbing
Released in 1958, Attack told of a wealthy heiress, fresh from a stint at a mental institution, who is turned into a giantess and then deals with her philandering husband and his no-good, money-grubbing floozy.
—
Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 9 Jan. 2026
Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 9 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grubbing
Verb
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The son of a medical-gas plumber who worked night shifts, Darnold just kept laboring at his craft.—
Sally Jenkins,
The Atlantic,
9 Feb. 2026
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In the summer of 2024, UNICEF’s representative in Congo suggested that 361,000 children might be laboring in mines in southern Congo, though this number seems implausibly high and drew quick opprobrium from Congolese NGOs that work on the issue.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Highlanders are joined by 10 other Orlando area teams striving to advance to the FHSAA state tournament, which moves to the University of North Florida in Jacksonville this year.—
Buddy Collings,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Feb. 2026
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Baldacci Family Vineyards was founded by Brenda and Thomas Baldacci in 1998 and today their son Michael continues the legacy of fine winemaking, striving to craft bottles that reflect the distinct terroir in which they are grown while maintaining strict sustainability standards.—
Mike DeSimone,
Robb Report,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In the aftermath of the 2007-09 Great Recession, Warsh — then a Fed governor — objected to some of the central bank’s efforts to help the struggling economy by pushing down rates even though unemployment exceeded 9%.—
Paul Wiseman,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Mar. 2026
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Meanwhile, the United Nations wrote on X that major cities in Afghanistan were reportedly bombed by the Pakistani military on Friday, marking a new escalation and raising fears for civilians already struggling under the harsh rule of the Taliban authorities.—
MUNIR AHMED,
Arkansas Online,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Qualcomm said the chip is made for things like running AI models and working with other nearby devices without draining a battery, even in devices that are regularly recording and communicating with phones and other devices.—
Lisa Eadicicco,
CNN Money,
2 Mar. 2026
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But his administration quietly dismantled a division working toward that goal by making the public more prepared for snow, flooding and hurricanes.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
2 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grubbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grubbing. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
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