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
As anyone who has tried can attest, building anything these days, whether a house or a commercial project, requires navigating a complex labyrinth of regulations, enduring a long and grueling and extremely costly, and often arbitrary, multilayered approval, review, and permitting process.
—
Lee Steinhauer, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Jan. 2026
This made the grueling but gorgeous hike down and up the steep South Kaibab Trail even more memorable.
—Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 11 Jan. 2026
Auriemma always puts together a grueling nonconference slate, but several of the team’s marquee games this season are poised to be less competitive than expected.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 10 Jan. 2026
The fact that this extremely complex and grueling mission was successfully executed with so few injuries is a testament to the expertise of our joint warriors.
—January 9, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for grueling
Lee Steinhauer, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Jan. 2026
This made the grueling but gorgeous hike down and up the steep South Kaibab Trail even more memorable.
—Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 11 Jan. 2026
Auriemma always puts together a grueling nonconference slate, but several of the team’s marquee games this season are poised to be less competitive than expected.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 10 Jan. 2026
The fact that this extremely complex and grueling mission was successfully executed with so few injuries is a testament to the expertise of our joint warriors.
—January 9, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for grueling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grueling
Adjective
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Business leaders, of course, have their own interests and shareholders to serve, but Democrats can still protect the public interest while giving CEOs a seat at the table to reach pragmatic answers to difficult questions like these.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Time,
13 Jan. 2026
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Activist groups say hundreds of people have been killed, though the true toll remains difficult to verify due to the internet blackout and tight state controls on information.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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But advocates say this year has been the most challenging.—
Ubah Ali,
CBS News,
15 Jan. 2026
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Purple proved to be the most challenging.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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After a rocky two years, the luxury industry is expected to carry its third-quarter recovery into Q4, despite some tough comparables.—
Laure Guilbault,
Vogue,
15 Jan. 2026
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That hope ended on July 3, 2025 when Michael, the charismatic tough guy actor known for his memorable roles in Kill Bill and Reservoir Dogs, died of cardiac arrest at 67 years old after a long struggle with alcoholism.—
Liz McNeil,
PEOPLE,
15 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Philadelphia first tried the 24-year-old at center but eventually moved him to the wing, presumably because of his struggles in the faceoff circle (just 39 percent of draws won) and because the wing is a less demanding defensive position.—
Harman Dayal,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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Both must meet demanding performance standards, operate on efficient edge-compute systems, deliver provable safety, and scale in a commercially viable way.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Every personal finance article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of personal finance products.—
Andreina Rodriguez,
CNBC,
12 Jan. 2026
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Denim and cotton can survive in rigorous washing, while silk and wool will need a gentle washing.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
11 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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But playing Banjeree required a mental one that proved even more arduous.—
Kylie Gilbert,
InStyle,
6 Jan. 2026
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Among them are more than 150 women who completed the arduous Ranger training.—
Tom Bowman,
NPR,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Shouldn’t even be that hard to sharpen the blasted thing, let alone twist it.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
13 Jan. 2026
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Jones raved about his consistency, intelligence, hard work and athleticism.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The service Aside from a formidable restaurant and spa, the service sets this hotel apart from other country boutiques in Sicily.—
Rosalyn Wikeley,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Jan. 2026
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The hardy parasite is also highly attuned to threats and responds with formidable defense mechanisms — prolonging a treatment process that’s already months to years long and often fraught with other hurdles and pain.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grueling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grueling. Accessed 21 Jan. 2026.
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