variants
or gruelling
1
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
running a marathon is grueling
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in challenging
requiring much time, effort, or careful attention
cutting diamonds can be grueling work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of grueling
Burnet County Chief Deputy Alan Trevino also interviewed on CNN, described the grueling conditions facing first responders, with teams dropped by helicopter into remote areas and cadaver dogs deployed by boat.
—
Amanda Castro
hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 July 2025
The famed Pacific Crest Trail (the West Coast's grueling, 2,653-mile-long answer to the Appalachian Trail) also passes nearby on its way up to the Canadian border.
—Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 5 July 2025
This year, the Tour stays entirely in France and features a grueling but stunning ride through the Pyrenees and the Alps.
—Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 4 July 2025
Lionel Messi and his teammates now shift gears back to MLS league play and a grueling July schedule, which includes the start of the Leagues Cup at the end of the month.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for grueling
Amanda Castro
hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 July 2025
The famed Pacific Crest Trail (the West Coast's grueling, 2,653-mile-long answer to the Appalachian Trail) also passes nearby on its way up to the Canadian border.
—Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 5 July 2025
This year, the Tour stays entirely in France and features a grueling but stunning ride through the Pyrenees and the Alps.
—Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 4 July 2025
Lionel Messi and his teammates now shift gears back to MLS league play and a grueling July schedule, which includes the start of the Leagues Cup at the end of the month.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for grueling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grueling
Adjective
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Ullmann is the daughter of the late Swedish director Ingmar Bergman and the Norwegian actor Liv Ullmann, and specifics of her childhood are not difficult to locate.—
Rachel Vorona Cote,
The Atlantic,
15 July 2025
-
Speaking with director Joe Johnston, Oka explained the two most difficult things to simulate digitally at the time were human skin and water.—
Jordan Hoffman,
EW.com,
15 July 2025
Adjective
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Points available at the stage’s finish vary based on a coefficient of difficulty: the more challenging the stage, the fewer points available.—
Sophie Kaufman,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
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Besides the challenging business climate in Chicago, President Donald Trump’s tariffs are contributing to rising food costs, and his immigration crackdown threatens to disrupt the food-service workforce.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
21 July 2025
Adjective
-
In the more demanding Steel Nomad benchmark, the Dell 16 Plus trailed both the Acer Swift 16 AI and LG Gram Pro.—
Brian Westover,
PC Magazine,
17 July 2025
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Montague also points out that only six Skyview suites exist across the entire 822-guest ship, creating the kind of scarcity that discerning travelers are increasingly demanding.—
Alexis Benveniste,
Robb Report,
16 July 2025
Adjective
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The mission proved to be much more arduous than expected for her and her small crew of four, all of whom are first tour aviators.—
Solcyré Burga,
Time,
11 July 2025
-
It is considered the most arduous of rehab processes.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 July 2025
Adjective
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The tougher policy changes are adding to the minors’ trauma, advocates say.—
Nicol León,
AZCentral.com,
22 July 2025
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Stellantis' loss, versus a 5.6 billion euro net profit a year earlier, underscores the tough challenges for new CEO Antonio Filosa, who was appointed in May after a disastrous performance in the company's crucial U.S. market in 2024 forced the ouster of former boss Carlos Tavares.—
Giulio Piovaccari,
Freep.com,
21 July 2025
Adjective
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The Freeform rolling carry-on was deemed the Best Overall Carry-on by Travel + Leisure after rounds of rigorous testing at our New York City lab.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
11 July 2025
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Before a potential controller can even step foot in the academy, there’s a rigorous application and qualification process.—
Alexandra Skores,
CNN Money,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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These small microscopic mites thrive in moist, shady areas and tall grass.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
13 July 2025
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For new infill apartments to skip CEQA review, the law requires union-level wages for projects with 100% affordable units, and some union hiring for projects that are taller than 85 feet.—
CalMatters,
Mercury News,
13 July 2025
Adjective
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Sandoval has received some pay bumps, including a temporary $10,000-a-year bonus for Hawaii special education teachers designed to alleviate shortages in that and other hard-to-staff areas.—
Alia Wong,
USA TODAY,
14 Feb. 2023
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Whether those numbers are an overstatement, or possibly an understatement, is hard to say.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes,
13 Feb. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Grueling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grueling. Accessed 24 Jul. 2025.
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