GRUELING Synonyms: 105 Similar and Opposite Words

grueling

adjective

ˈgrü-ə-liŋ

variants or gruelling

Definition of grueling

as in difficult

requiring considerable physical or mental effort running a marathon is grueling

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 During the hearing Friday several of the teens’ family members detailed their grueling loss before Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Andrea Ricker Wolfson. — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2026 Many veteran leaders express frustration, claiming that Generation Z lacks loyalty, demands too much flexibility or refuses to put in the grueling hours that previous generations accepted as the standard. — Kent Ingle, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026 Black workers — among them the tens of thousands drawn from Jamaica and Barbados to perform the most grueling excavation labor — were paid lower wages, housed in substandard quarters, and segregated at pay windows, hospitals, and schools. — Zachary Kranc, Sun Sentinel, 27 Oct. 2026 The photo, though not released to the public before Sunday, was taken in June as Kate completed the grueling Three Peaks Challenge, which saw her hike the tallest mountains in England, Scotland, and Wales in just 24 hours. — Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 26 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for grueling

Recent Examples of Synonyms for grueling

Adjective

The pilot must compensate manually using the controller, which can be difficult if the aircraft is far away or difficult to see.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 8 Nov. 2026
The chocolatey all-suede style was first released in October 2023 and has become increasingly difficult to track down over the years, with certain sizes commanding premium prices on the secondary market.

— Riley Jones, Footwear News, 7 Nov. 2026

Definition of difficult

Adjective

Manufacturing electronic devices from it remains difficult, particularly because reliably controlling its electrical properties through doping is challenging.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 7 Nov. 2026
Porter knew Friday’s game would be a challenging one against the Tillers.

— Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 7 Nov. 2026

Definition of challenging

Adjective

The Heat now returns home, but the competition is about to get tougher.

— Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 11 Nov. 2026
Councilwoman Willis has been a tough negotiator, challenging us to work with the City of Dallas transportation department to identify and fund meaningful traffic enhancements.

— CBS News, CBS News, 10 Nov. 2026

Definition of tough

Adjective

Success Academy Westland Hialeah Elementary is one of the first five schools of the nonprofit charter operator, known for its high test scores and rigorous culture, to co-locate inside Miami-Dade public schools.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 12 Nov. 2026
That history demands rigorous safeguards for any outside organization working with children, including comprehensive vetting, clear boundaries, close supervision and independent accountability.

— The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 11 Nov. 2026

Definition of rigorous

Adjective

With the election results finalized, party leaders now face the arduous task of forging a parliamentary majority of 61 seats required to swear in a government.

— Ilan Ben Zion, Christian Science Monitor, 3 Nov. 2026
The funny thing is, this time last year Roseberry had no intention of taking on the arduous course.

— Max Berlinger, Vogue, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of arduous

Adjective

The Chiefs have a far more difficult remaining schedule (eighth hardest) than the Broncos do (27th), per DVOA data.

— Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 2 Nov. 2026
The hardest part is often matching the format to the problem rather than simply choosing what’s most convenient.

— Karen Koehler, Sacbee.com, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of hard

Adjective

Their pass defense is specifically interesting, allowing over 227 passing yards per game, even while boasting one of the most talented and formidable defensive backfields in the game.

— Langston Wertz Jr, Charlotte Observer, 8 Nov. 2026
The formidable organization of Seminole County Democrats (aka the SemDems) was clearly a factor there.

— Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Nov. 2026

Definition of formidable

Browse Nearby Words

grudgingly

grueling

gruesome

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Grueling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grueling. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of grueling

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

boilerplate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

31 Useful Rhetorical Devices

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Popular in Wordplay

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Nov. 13

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes