1
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
the herculean task of grading 60 student essays over one weekend
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in enormous
unusually large
a herculean banquet table that took eight men to lift it
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of herculean
But unseating Healey in Democrat and progressive Massachusetts will be a herculean task.
—
Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 6 Sep. 2025
The end result would be a chill bar night in our town in suburban Tacoma, Washington, for which Zachary felt a deep ambivalence; persuading him to attend the 10-year had already been a herculean task.
—Jordan Michelman, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2025
Raymond acknowledged he’s faced with a herculean task – not unlike Sisyphus rolling the boulder up the hill at Tartarus in Greek mythology.
—Rick Jervis, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2025
These are smart students who have painstakingly made their way in a herculean fashion through modern med school.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 6 Sep. 2025
The end result would be a chill bar night in our town in suburban Tacoma, Washington, for which Zachary felt a deep ambivalence; persuading him to attend the 10-year had already been a herculean task.
—Jordan Michelman, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2025
Raymond acknowledged he’s faced with a herculean task – not unlike Sisyphus rolling the boulder up the hill at Tartarus in Greek mythology.
—Rick Jervis, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2025
These are smart students who have painstakingly made their way in a herculean fashion through modern med school.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for herculean
Adjective
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The Bulls look to be the best team in the Group of Five conferences, while the Gators and coach Billy Napier are now under pressure with a difficult SEC schedule ahead.—
Erick Smith,
USA Today,
8 Sep. 2025
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Usually the final day of boot camp is most difficult.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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No liquor, no food, just an enormous outdoor patio teeming with Carolina Blue, popular bands, students, alumni and celebrities.—
The Athletic College Football Staff,
New York Times,
11 Sep. 2025
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One of the enormous elk lived in immense, rough country near Ennis, Montana.—
Jack Atcheson Sr. as told to Michael Hanback,
Outdoor Life,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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To be sure, the last few years have been more challenging, with Gucci rapidly losing momentum — and Kering’s debt load swelling after an acquisition spree that included Creed, Maui Jim, a 30 percent stake in Valentino, and large chunks of prime real estate.—
Miles Socha,
Footwear News,
9 Sep. 2025
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Ultimately, gig engineering is becoming an attractive but challenging path.—
Srishti Gupta,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Starting a business requires tremendous energy, passion and a clear vision.—
Guy Peixoto,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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Having entirely new avenues to chase down is tremendous.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The backcourt duo of Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman, also known as the StudBudz, are shifty, tough shot-making guards who can get hot in a hurry.—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
13 Sep. 2025
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And that’s tough on those guys.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Congress had enacted byzantine eligibility requirements for disability and Supplemental Security Income benefits, forcing the agency to expend huge amounts of time and money running those programs.—
Eli Hager,
ProPublica,
8 Sep. 2025
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Of course, there remains a huge barrier to entry for the San Jose Sharks sophomore.—
Chris Johnston,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Rip currents are formidable natural forces, but knowing how to react can significantly increase your chances of safely navigating these challenging waters.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Sep. 2025
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On paper, the American team looked formidable, boasting Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, and other stars.—
Tim Corlett,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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In Let’s Play Ball, two rival teams of comedians go head-to-head in a race to transport a gigantic ball across various terrains.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
9 Sep. 2025
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Large downward revisions to monthly jobs data in recent weeks put a gigantic spotlight on an incredibly typical procedure for economic data.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Herculean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/herculean. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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