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
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Recent Examples of grueling
For summer cookouts, don’t miss this Coleman hard cooler that truly punched above its price point in the grueling Alabama heat.
—
Melanie Fincher,
Southern Living,
25 June 2026
And the reconciliation process can be long and grueling.
—
Justin Papp,
CNBC,
24 June 2026
Part of the reason the shoot felt so grueling was because Ford and director Ridley Scott clashed over script decisions.
—
Brianna Zigler,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 June 2026
Players might also take scissors to their socks as a solution to ward off cramping or reduce muscle strains and fatigue during a grueling 90-minute game.
—
Alex Connor,
USA Today,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for grueling
Melanie Fincher,
Southern Living,
25 June 2026
And the reconciliation process can be long and grueling.
—
Justin Papp,
CNBC,
24 June 2026
Part of the reason the shoot felt so grueling was because Ford and director Ridley Scott clashed over script decisions.
—
Brianna Zigler,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 June 2026
Players might also take scissors to their socks as a solution to ward off cramping or reduce muscle strains and fatigue during a grueling 90-minute game.
—
Alex Connor,
USA Today,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for grueling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grueling
Adjective
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Aviation experts said those conditions would have been difficult to navigate that evening when the helicopter, a Robinson R66, crashed in the Dawson Forest Wildlife Management Area.
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But traffic on the waterway remains a fraction of pre-war levels with different authorities vying to organize the transit of vessels, leaving operators with a difficult choice over which path to take.
Adjective
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Keeping your hair looking and feeling shiny can be challenging, but not with this hair kit.
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Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Jaime Moore said that fighting the fire had been extremely challenging.
Adjective
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Summer 2026 is having a tough time deciding on this season’s dominating nail trend.
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These are typically low-wage jobs that the healthcare industry writ large has had a tough time recruiting for since the pandemic.
Adjective
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In a demanding, real-world performance setting — a capstone exercise, a live performance, a high-stakes simulation — the goal is not to eliminate all mistakes, but to stay in control and navigate the zone of being uncomfortable.
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New York crowds are passionate, honest, and demanding.
Adjective
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And a rigorous screening protocol for LFS patients developed by David Malkin, a protege of Fraumeni and Li, helps detect early-stage malignancies, improving the odds of treating them and prolonging lives.
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According to Lacey, who helped set up the Code Four program last year, enforcing the law requires a clear grasp of ethics and a rigorous attention to detail to make sure the job is done well.
Adjective
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McGregor’s recovery was lengthy and arduous.
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After an arduous search, the airy, Los Angeles location near her family instantly became her spiritual home.
Adjective
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In the days leading up to his show, Chavarria and his team were hard at work in his make-shift studio in the 6th arrondissement.
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Closing a chapter, not the relationships For Sevy, the hardest part is closing this chapter with the people who made the place feel like home.
Adjective
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The Scottish lawyer was one of the smartest, most formidable specialists in the luxury business, with a reputation that carried internationally and a vast roll call of clients.
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With five volumes of his Noise Kandy series, to solo and collaborative albums (KISS THE RING, Kontraband, Trainspotting), the Griselda affiliate has cemented his status as one of today’s most formidable spitters.
Cite this Entry
“Grueling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grueling. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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