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grueling

adjective

ˈgrü-ə-liŋ How to pronounce grueling (audio)
variants or gruelling
Definition of gruelingnext
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 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 grueling The stylistic approach works well enough during the many and extremely bloody action sequences, but eventually proves so relentless and lacking in modulation that the film becomes a grueling and sometimes tedious experience. — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026 Testing a dissenting hypothesis often required weeks of alignment meetings, internal authorizations and grueling pilot programs. — Fabio Moioli, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2026 Diva behavior, grueling rehearsals, and public scandal threaten to destroy not only the show but the Jackman Method itself. — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 8 Sep. 2026 He's also set an age record on the Grand Canyon's grueling rim-to-rim-to-rim route. — Amber Harding Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for grueling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grueling
  1. difficult
  2. challenging
  3. tough
  4. demanding
  5. rigorous
  6. arduous
  7. hard
  8. formidable
Adjective
  • Being undefeated after a trio of difficult opening matches can only be seen as a positive, even if Newcastle’s obvious shortcomings require addressing if that run is to be prolonged.
    — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Engineers need flight data on propulsion, aerodynamics, thermal management, guidance and other subsystems under conditions that are difficult to reproduce on the ground.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of difficult
Adjective
  • Eric Loucks, the director of the Mindfulness Center at Brown, pointed out that a person can have a challenging experience during meditation and still find their overall meditation practice to be beneficial.
    — Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2026
  • For something more hands-on, Atlanta Motorsports Park in Dawsonville has a challenging kart circuit where karts can reach 50 mph or more.
    — Chris Teague, AJC.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of challenging
Adjective
  • Because of the heat wave's dramatic effect on everyday life, Paris became a tough place to walk around in the sunshine.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Sep. 2026
  • But Chipotle has been in a tough spot since Niccol departed in 2024, and even as Boatwright’s plan shows signs of momentum (same-store sales have begun to tick back up again), there are open questions about Chipotle’s strategic direction.
    — Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of tough
Adjective
  • That night, somewhere between a racist stranger, a free dessert, my girlfriend publicly shaming a man in a Mediterranean restaurant and our demanding cat, the City of Angels started to feel like home.
    — Mayur Chauhan, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • And the longer or more demanding the workout, the more important such fuel becomes.
    — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of demanding
Adjective
  • To classify a new fiber, the FTC requires its makers to demonstrate that the material is fundamentally different from existing fibers, established through a rigorous regulatory review.
    — Jennifer Bringle, Footwear News, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Success in the exam, one of the most rigorous standardized tests in the world, allows students to study at Korea’s top universities.
    — Lim Hui Jie,Miko Jang, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of rigorous
Adjective
  • The tattoo has been arduous work for William, with setbacks and botched work taking up much of the past decade.
    — Stephen Rodrick, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Illustration by Patricia Bolaños The climb from Hell to Heaven can be long and arduous.
    — Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of arduous
Adjective
  • In top cities like Austin, Miami and Nashville, cash-flowing properties can be harder to find.
    — Justin Donald, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Two blue and yellow humanoid robots attempted to beat each other up with punches twice as hard as Mike Tyson’s.
    — Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of hard
Adjective
  • Soldier Field and Wrigley Field will have formidable new competition.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Importantly, such research demonstrated the formidable risk associated with self-criticism for postpartum depression and anxiety, as well as for disruptions in mother-child communication, which might exacerbate postpartum psychopathology.
    — Torie Bosch, STAT, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of formidable

Browse Nearby Words

grudgingly
grueling
gruesome
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Cite this Entry

“Grueling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grueling. Accessed 18 Sep. 2026.

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