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

Relevance

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 Just be mindful not to let an easy nature walk turn into a grueling hike, or an hour in the garden into an entire day of heavy landscaping. — Jenessa Connor, Health, 15 July 2026 The grueling days didn’t relent when the production moved ashore. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 14 July 2026 Haaland, known for his love of designer bags, also carried a white and maroon Dolce & Gabbana bag as disembarked from the plane after six grueling weeks of World Cup competition. — Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 13 July 2026 The Evil Dead endured a famously grueling shoot that lasted over a year due to a tiny budget, difficult living conditions, and ambitious (and relentless) practical effects. — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 10 July 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
  • Strickland said even getting equipment on the road during construction can be difficult for farmers.
    — Maven Navarro, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 July 2026
  • While following the money may be difficult, there are other signs of the growing role of organized crime in politics.
    — Mary Beth Sheridan, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
Definition of difficult
Adjective
  • In April, DeepSeek rolled out previews of its latest V4 model, challenging OpenAI’s GPT and Google’s Gemini.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 July 2026
  • As a business owner, Maloney says, the most rewarding and most challenging aspect of the job is making all the decisions and solving every problem.
    — Claire Hall, Hartford Courant, 25 July 2026
Definition of challenging
Adjective
  • There were tough conversations between Naylor and Cleveland’s coaches and front office.
    — Zack Meisel, New York Times, 24 July 2026
  • Villegas, after a tough primary election battle against Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains, has roughly $572,000.
    — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 23 July 2026
Definition of tough
Adjective
  • The company positions it as a daily-use model rather than one reserved only for the most demanding workloads.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 24 July 2026
  • Valdebebas sources describe Mourinho as demanding but approachable — someone who pushes players hard while remaining involved in every detail of training.
    — Guillermo Rai, New York Times, 24 July 2026
Definition of demanding
Adjective
  • Then again, allowing American companies to sell BPC-157 for human use could create the impression that the peptide, which hasn’t passed through the rigorous process the FDA uses to approve new drugs, nonetheless has the agency’s blessing.
    — Tom Bartlett, The Atlantic, 24 July 2026
  • Hydrogen requires specialized storage systems, dedicated airport infrastructure, and rigorous safety standards.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 24 July 2026
Definition of rigorous
Adjective
  • After decades of arduous preparation, the largest, most ambitious survey of the night sky ever created has at last opened its eye.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 24 July 2026
  • The most notable travels were by Faxian and Xuanzang, two Chinese Buddhist monks who undertook arduous journeys to India to learn more about the region and its culture.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 July 2026
Definition of arduous
Adjective
  • Not play-act, but do the real work, make the hard and noble choices, not forsake his vows but live by them.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
  • Adding another employee, buying a new piece of equipment, or expanding into a larger space all become harder when the tax code penalizes those investments.
    — Kent Strang, Boston Herald, 26 July 2026
Definition of hard
Adjective
  • Ulf has Silverwing and Hugh rides Vermithor, both formidable beasts.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
  • The three formed a formidable frontcourt that could score, pass and defend.
    — Rob Peterson, New York Times, 26 July 2026
Definition of formidable

Browse Nearby Words

grudgingly
grueling
gruesome
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Grueling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grueling. Accessed 28 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on grueling

Nglish: Translation of grueling for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of kludge

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

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

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

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

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
chain-question-mark
Missing Link Quiz July 2026 Five seconds to figure out the word that fits bot...
See All