GRUBBING Synonyms: 85 Similar and Opposite Words

grubbing

verb

present participle of grub

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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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of grubbing Double-bass glissandos hint at hands grubbing in the earth, while abrupt moments of concerted action—notably, an accordion wheezing out an F-sharp-minor chord—suggest flickering signals and transmissions. — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 18 May 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for grubbing

Verb

Strange, yes, but definitely more memorable than an accountant in green eyeshade laboring over the books.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
And workers have now spent over 1 million hours laboring on an infrastructure project whose price tag has surpassed $900 million.

— Robert Tann, Denver Post, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of laboring

Verb

And those striving for zest under these circumstances may benefit from assistance from a mental health professional like a psychologist, a physical health provider like a physician, or a personal trainer or fitness instructor.

— Joan M. Cook, Time, 17 Oct. 2026
There was a phone booth across the street where striving actors would take calls from their agents, before cell phones.

— Sam Kashner, Vanity Fair, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of striving

Verb

The school has implemented programs to help struggling students close achievement gaps and introduced the Hadley Literacy Plan to improve writing schoolwide.

— Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026
Fashion’s nature risks and dependencies are wide-reaching, from cotton harvests ravaged by drought and leather supply chains riddled with deforestation, to manufacturing hubs struggling with water scarcity and retail networks affected by flooding.

— Bella Webb, Vogue, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of struggling

Verb

Each time a shutter fires, and each time a tire squeals, involves countless pieces working together to deliver a smooth outcome.

— Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
Linn County prosecutors declined to file criminal charges, but the church barred Moore from working with children, youth and vulnerable adults.

— Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 20 Oct. 2026