as in challenging
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
she loves coming up with the "big idea" but hates the actual pick-and-shovel work of starting a new business
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 pick-and-shovel
Constellation Energy has surged 94% as a pick-and-shovel beneficiary of the AI boom.
—
Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 31 Dec. 2024
Constellation Energy has surged 94% as a pick-and-shovel beneficiary of the AI boom.
—Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 31 Dec. 2024
The biggest beneficiaries here aren’t only the flashy tech giants but also the pick-and-shovel players: processor makers, cooling system vendors, and the unsung heroes of database architecture etc.
—Kjartan Rist, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
So far with Big Tech spending at an all-time high—fueled by a fear of being left behind—the pick-and-shovel approach has been paying dividends.
—Peter Andersen, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024
The core operation and a smattering of pick-and-shovel prospects mined the surface gold that was easily extracted by hand from exposed late Cretaceous-period rocks that shed bits of precious minerals in flakes, nuggets and dust.
—Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 26 Jan. 2024
Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 31 Dec. 2024
Constellation Energy has surged 94% as a pick-and-shovel beneficiary of the AI boom.
—Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 31 Dec. 2024
The biggest beneficiaries here aren’t only the flashy tech giants but also the pick-and-shovel players: processor makers, cooling system vendors, and the unsung heroes of database architecture etc.
—Kjartan Rist, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
So far with Big Tech spending at an all-time high—fueled by a fear of being left behind—the pick-and-shovel approach has been paying dividends.
—Peter Andersen, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024
The core operation and a smattering of pick-and-shovel prospects mined the surface gold that was easily extracted by hand from exposed late Cretaceous-period rocks that shed bits of precious minerals in flakes, nuggets and dust.
—Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 26 Jan. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pick-and-shovel
Adjective
-
Saving for retirement has become more challenging for many reasons.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 May 2025
-
Despite being born into a socioeconomically challenging environment, Muhammad realized early that empowerment could come from knowledge.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
10 May 2025
Adjective
-
Rust, a difficult movie to release, grossed $25k at 115 theaters, presented by Falling Forward Films.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
4 May 2025
-
Clematis wilt is a fungal infection that is difficult to treat.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
3 May 2025
Adjective
-
But his sharpness increased as the tournament progressed, especially in the semi-final against his toughest opponent on paper, Stephen Nedoroscik.—
Conor O'Neill,
New York Times,
10 May 2025
-
Federal judges have so far been skeptical of the Trump administration’s past efforts to use extraordinary powers to make deportations easier, and that could make suspending habeas corpus even tougher.—
Will Weissert,
Chicago Tribune,
10 May 2025
Adjective
-
Members have included figures such as Benjamin Franklin, Charles Darwin and Martin Luther King Jr. New members are chosen through a rigorous nomination and election process, according to the academy.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
12 May 2025
-
Digital forensics demands rigorous methodology to ensure evidence integrity and reliable findings.—
Lars Daniel,
Forbes.com,
12 May 2025
Adjective
-
Improving the air traffic system will also require the coordination of tens of thousands of safety workers in one of the country’s most demanding professions.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
8 May 2025
-
Unskilled workers handle physically demanding tasks like trench digging, concrete mixing and site preparation, and earn lower wages.—
Bahaa Chammout,
The Conversation,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Sandoval has received some pay bumps, including a temporary $10,000-a-year bonus for Hawaii special education teachers designed to alleviate shortages in that and other hard-to-staff areas.—
Alia Wong,
USA TODAY,
14 Feb. 2023
-
Whether those numbers are an overstatement, or possibly an understatement, is hard to say.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes,
13 Feb. 2023
Adjective
-
The renowned American sculptor was more accessible at a smaller scale with a formidable presence at TEFAF New York.—
Natasha Gural,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2025
-
Real-Life Vince McMahon Confrontation Cobb brings a formidable and unique resume to WWE, built across multiple major promotions.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 May 2025
Adjective
-
Clearly the Red Sox misread things here, but with Devers the situation is a little more complicated.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
10 May 2025
-
The plan gets more complicated than that and addresses other issues, but the main point is that the Republican proposal is a dramatic improvement over the current system.—
Matt Fleming,
Oc Register,
10 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pick-and-shovel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pick-and-shovel. Accessed 20 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share