effortful

adjective

ef·​fort·​ful ˈe-fərt-fəl How to pronounce effortful (audio)
: showing or requiring effort
effortfully adverb
effortfulness noun

Examples of effortful in a Sentence

the book's abstruse subject matter and dense prose make for effortful reading
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Igor’s eyes were cloudy, and his chest rattled with effortful breathing. Brandon Taylor, The Atlantic, 4 Jan. 2025 The film is a feat of maximalist and moody production design and cinematography, but the tedious and overwrought script renders every character two-dimensional, despite the effortful acting and teary pronunciations. Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 24 Dec. 2024 Somehow, organizational antibodies that should have kicked in to prevent this effortful process weren’t there. Roger Dooley, Forbes, 26 Sep. 2024 Cronin said that the Ducks’ recent pair of losses to the Kings – the Ducks also lost to their crosstown rivals, 3-2, on Saturday in Ontario – demonstrated some of what his club should emulate in terms of effortful shot-blocking and aggressive forechecking. Andrew Knoll, Orange County Register, 1 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for effortful 

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1895, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of effortful was circa 1895

Dictionary Entries Near effortful

effort

effortful

effortless

Cite this Entry

“Effortful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/effortful. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on effortful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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