GRUELLING 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 As 2016 neared, Thomas’ bandmates expected to reconvene for a 20th anniversary tour, however he was focused on 2015’s The Great Unknown, largely inspired by wife Marisol’s grueling health battles. — Leena Tailor, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2026 The former child star, 22, is one of 15 celebrities competing on season 5 of Fox’s grueling reality competition show. — Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2026 That was the most grueling minute or two or three in my life. — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Sep. 2026 And that is why every game, as grueling as the 82-game season can be, likely will matter for the Heat this season. — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 24 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for grueling

Recent Examples of Synonyms for grueling

Adjective

The problem, Snegovaya said, is that achieving military autonomy for Europe and Ukraine is extremely difficult in the short term, and Europe has been slow to develop the necessary capabilities.

— Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 17 Oct. 2026
Past changes have pushed the glacier into a retreat that may be difficult to reverse, while new modeling suggests scientists may have underestimated how warm seawater reaches beneath it.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of difficult

Adjective

As Hispanic Heritage Month continues, one musician at Philadelphia's Curtis Institute of Music is challenging expectations about classical music and the harp.

— Madeleine Wright, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
Naomi Ackie, who plays the scientist charged with Hagen’s experimental procedure, praised how her co-star shouldered what was a very challenging role.

— Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of challenging

Adjective

Celebrity hairstylist Brian Magallones considers this the perfect balance between a not-too-fussy and not-too-structured chignon, a style that sounds tough to style without a professional team but is actually quite easy to master at-home.

— Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
Coming off that dominant performance against the Yankees, Rasmussen went six-plus tough innings.

— Rob Maaddi, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of tough

Adjective

Finally, Horrigan noted that inbound freight deserves the same rigorous management as outbound, stressing that procurement teams need visibility into the freight component of supplier pricing.

— Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026
The whole piece is about the free and rigorous interplay of line.

— Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of rigorous

Adjective

Creative endeavor, in the space of a few hours, flashes its many faces, arduous and sexy, fleeting and fun.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
The simple-seeming request turned into an arduous task that would require scores of emails, multiple phone calls with Epic employees, a flight to Las Vegas, and a software update.

— O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of arduous

Adjective

Rejecing the marketing formula Brand building has gotten harder as marketing chiefs face growing pressure to prove their value.

— Sam Birchall, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
Trump just didn’t understand—and didn’t care—that any chief’s most important duty is to tell the president hard truths.

— Chris Whipple, Vanity Fair, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of hard

Adjective

But the expansion of Bioko's strategy presents formidable challenges, from porous international borders to the sheer scale of the territory.

— ABC News, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026
Although a small number of peptide medicines are already available as pills, most candidates still face formidable barriers to oral delivery.

— Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of formidable

Browse Nearby Words

grudgingly

grueling

gruesome

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“Grueling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grueling. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of grueling

adjective

Example Sentences

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