as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
modern machinery has significantly eased the backbreaking work of farming
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Recent Examples of backbreaking
Plus, large shovels hold a backbreaking amount of snow.
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James Jackson, Popular Mechanics, 18 Sep. 2019
Drawing on unprecedented research, Chang shows how these men performed some of the most dangerous, most backbreaking work to build out the railroad from California, yet received virtually no credit for their contributions.
—Chris Fuchs, NBC News, 5 Nov. 2019
Spraying fields with pesticides and fertilizers, the drones -- which can cover up to 60 acres a day -- could boost crop yields, save time and make backbreaking field work much easier, according to Bug Away.
—Sarah Lazarus and Dan Tham, CNN, 3 July 2019
Facing the possibility of major defections, a roster implosion or a backbreaking salary cap position, Brand tap-danced his way through the minefield in impressive fashion.
—Ben Golliver, The Denver Post, 3 July 2019
See all Example Sentences for backbreaking 
James Jackson, Popular Mechanics, 18 Sep. 2019
Drawing on unprecedented research, Chang shows how these men performed some of the most dangerous, most backbreaking work to build out the railroad from California, yet received virtually no credit for their contributions.
—Chris Fuchs, NBC News, 5 Nov. 2019
Spraying fields with pesticides and fertilizers, the drones -- which can cover up to 60 acres a day -- could boost crop yields, save time and make backbreaking field work much easier, according to Bug Away.
—Sarah Lazarus and Dan Tham, CNN, 3 July 2019
Facing the possibility of major defections, a roster implosion or a backbreaking salary cap position, Brand tap-danced his way through the minefield in impressive fashion.
—Ben Golliver, The Denver Post, 3 July 2019
See all Example Sentences for backbreaking
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backbreaking
Adjective
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Simplifying Complexity Through Narratives Leaders often need to communicate complex strategies or concepts, which can be difficult for teams to fully grasp.Paola Cecchi-Dimeglio, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025
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The emotional weight of losing that independence is difficult to quantify, but its impact is profound.John Hope Bryant, TIME, 18 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Finding a way to relax and take your mind off football can be challenging, but Colwill uses Lego to unwind.The Athletic UK Staff, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025
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That realization reinforced for me the importance of breaking stereotypes about introverts and challenging misconceptions.Kendra MacDonald, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The Bengals are going to have a tough time bringing the free agent back at just age 26 and after coming off his finest season yet.Brandon Funston, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025
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Households are currently seeing significant reductions in their monthly electricity usage, resulting in cost savings—a big relief, especially in tough economic times.Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Truth, in this sense, is sought and rendered, something produced by rigorous inquiry and informed consideration rather than something discovered.Fergus McIntosh, The New Yorker, 11 Jan. 2025
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The Kings hadn’t played since their double-overtime win over the Miami Heat on Monday, leaving three days between games, which likely would have meant at least one rigorous practice with Brown at the helm.Chris Biderman, Sacramento Bee, 11 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Two of the judges on the D.C. Circuit applied strict scrutiny, the highest and most demanding form of judicial review, and said the government satisfied that standard.Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 10 Jan. 2025
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Consumers are more demanding than ever, seeking true desirability, hyper-personalization, sustainability and seamless omnichannel experiences.Jill Standish, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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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
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Whether those numbers are an overstatement, or possibly an understatement, is hard to say.Lance Eliot, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2023
Adjective
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So the panel is top tier and should be a formidable alternative to the QD-OLED display used in Samsung’s respective 2025 flagship, the S95F. OLED TVs just keep getting brighter, more vivid, and dazzling — and consumers really can’t go wrong with any of them.Chris Welch, The Verge, 10 Jan. 2025
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Someone, anyone, needs to step up and take the reins here, as the Flyers have looked formidable otherwise.Dom Luszczyszyn, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The air district’s governing board convened Friday, lamenting the widespread destruction from the wildfires and the persisting danger from heavy smoke.Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2025
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After the company completed integration of the rocket this week, and rolled the super heavy lift rocket to its launch site at Cape Canaveral, the focus turned toward the weather.Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 11 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near backbreaking
Cite this Entry
“Backbreaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backbreaking. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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