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
There’s plenty that marathoners can do to keep a smile on their face for as many of those grueling miles as possible, like training smart, fueling well—and choosing a pair of shoes that makes the race fly by.
—
Lauren Wingenroth, SELF, 24 June 2025
The royal tomb dates to the 8th century B.C. and was found after a grueling four months of excavating.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 23 June 2025
Jayden Vega, a rising senior from Tampa, Fla., nominated for his leading role in Urinetown, says the schedule is grueling.
—Sequoia Carrillo, NPR, 23 June 2025
During twin ceremonies in the grueling heat Saturday, Dr. Almira Fifield received one accolade after another, giving her long-deserved recognition for her accomplishments and dedication.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 22 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for grueling
Lauren Wingenroth, SELF, 24 June 2025
The royal tomb dates to the 8th century B.C. and was found after a grueling four months of excavating.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 23 June 2025
Jayden Vega, a rising senior from Tampa, Fla., nominated for his leading role in Urinetown, says the schedule is grueling.
—Sequoia Carrillo, NPR, 23 June 2025
During twin ceremonies in the grueling heat Saturday, Dr. Almira Fifield received one accolade after another, giving her long-deserved recognition for her accomplishments and dedication.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 22 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for grueling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grueling
Adjective
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James is playing the final year of his contract at $52.6 million, which is a very difficult number for teams to pay.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 July 2025
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Any pass to Warren Zaire-Emery in midfield is difficult too, due to Kim pushing out of defence.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
5 July 2025
Adjective
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As such, piloting an FPV drone is a completely different, entirely more challenging kettle of fish than piloting a standard camera drone.—
Sam Kieldsen,
Wired News,
27 June 2025
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All of these factors combine to make AI adoption incredibly challenging, expensive and time-consuming.—
Dave Friend,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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But the plaintiffs in the case and the Biden administration said the appeals court was wrong to apply that standard and should have instead analyzed it under the most demanding level, strict scrutiny, because the law impedes adults' access to speech protected by the Constitution.—
June 27,
CBS News,
27 June 2025
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Further stymying manufacturing’s renaissance is that plant work isn’t just dirty and physically demanding – albeit less than in prior generations – but also relatively low-paying with limited career prospects.—
Ryan Craig,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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Recruitment: Writing job descriptions can be an arduous task, but by creating a first draft with AI, HR leaders can focus on more strategic tasks, such as maximizing the company’s organizational structure to best support teams.—
Julie Hoagland,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2025
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Like all babies, my youngest son learned this through arduous repetition.—
Sonja Sharp,
Los Angeles Times,
28 June 2025
Adjective
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Even these young players already have major tournament experience — a huge strength given their tough group.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
28 June 2025
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Nor is anything that tough necessary to prevent chronic illness.—
Carolyn Rosenblatt,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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Hunting was off limits, as was trapping or poisoning, and the listing included rigorous habitat protections.—
Christine Peterson,
Vox,
27 June 2025
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Experimental adoption is fine, as long as it's paired with rigorous due diligence and clearly defined outcomes.—
Stephanie Domas,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Adjective
-
Keep a distance from tall, isolated trees or other elevated objects.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
1 July 2025
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Avoid tall, isolated trees or other elevated objects.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
1 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 11 Jul. 2025.
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