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
Sure enough, 36 hours after an exhausting overtime affair ended, the biggest difference between these teams illuminated itself as another grueling game spiraled toward the finish line.
—
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 12 May 2025
And even for those deputies who don’t limp away victorious, the grueling gathering is a morale booster, a time to bond and a chance to party outside the L.A. County limits.
—Keri Blakinger, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2025
The Anaheim Discovery Christian swimmer wanted to protect his sore arm for a grueling race.
—Dan Albano, Oc Register, 9 May 2025
The production process has been grueling but exhilarating.
—Jamie Lang, Variety, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grueling
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 12 May 2025
And even for those deputies who don’t limp away victorious, the grueling gathering is a morale booster, a time to bond and a chance to party outside the L.A. County limits.
—Keri Blakinger, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2025
The Anaheim Discovery Christian swimmer wanted to protect his sore arm for a grueling race.
—Dan Albano, Oc Register, 9 May 2025
The production process has been grueling but exhilarating.
—Jamie Lang, Variety, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grueling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grueling
Adjective
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Two of Elissa’s tumors were obliterated that day, but the third was too difficult to reach without repositioning Elissa’s body in a way that would have taken too much time under anesthesia.—
Kristen Jordan Shamus,
USA Today,
19 May 2025
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Luca Solca sector head for global luxury goods at Bernstein Clouding the picture further, many other premium Swiss watchmakers including Rolex, Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet, are privately owned, making their performance difficult to decipher.—
Karen Gilchrist,
CNBC,
18 May 2025
Adjective
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In this one-man show, Whitfield steps onstage not just as a performer, but as a guide—challenging, inspiring, and activating the ABFF community to transform their pain into purpose.—
DeMicia Inman,
VIBE.com,
22 May 2025
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The new bill, advocates said, is also expected to be particularly challenging for Native Americans who rely on tribal cards for identification ‒ which typically don't include place of birth, as the new law requires.—
Deborah Barfield Berry,
USA Today,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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Additionally, ensuring data accuracy and integrity within compliance features, especially for reporting and audit trails, can be technically demanding and prone to errors if not carefully managed.—
Suresh Kannan,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
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That, plus more demanding processors, higher burst rates, and video modes, means mirrorless cameras get less battery life than DSLRs.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
20 May 2025
Adjective
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Legal scholars warn that revoking birthright citizenship would likely require a constitutional amendment, an arduous process involving approval by two-thirds of Congress and ratification by three-fourths of the states.—
Tahar Rajab,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 May 2025
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Taken together, these new polices would create a more mutable type of citizenship, no longer rooted in birthplace, or in the arduous and lengthy task of proving one’s worth.—
Patricia Lopez,
Mercury News,
14 May 2025
Adjective
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Being a careless jackass but also irresistibly charming is a tough needle to thread.—
Staff Author Published,
EW.com,
22 May 2025
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That’s really tough to stop from turning into scoring opportunities for the opponent.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
Adjective
-
The Bee has a rigorous policy relating to requests for anonymity.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
23 May 2025
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Hall, a former college football player, is quite the athlete and also gives fans a look into his rigorous workout regimen, which Khaled joined him for.—
Michael Saponara,
Billboard,
23 May 2025
Adjective
-
Keep a distance from tall, isolated trees or other elevated objects.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
14 May 2025
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Built to haul small satellites to orbit, the rocket stands 82 feet (25 meters) tall and has an unusual design for a modern launcher, with three stages, each powered by hybrid engines burning a proprietary solid fuel mixed with a liquid oxidizer.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
14 May 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 27 May. 2025.
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