as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
the book's abstruse subject matter and dense prose make for effortful reading
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Recent Examples of effortful
Moreover, job candidates may get turned off by companies that require lengthy, effortful assessment processes.
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Elaine Pulakos, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024
He’s introduced as an anxious father but then his particular behaviors — a hyper-attention to detail, the effortful attempt to control his jaw muscles, the tenseness of his smile — become signs of a more malevolent violence.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Aug. 2024
Tatum shot poorly, at times seeming stiffened by nerves; Brown, consistently effortful, sporadically dynamic, came to the rescue.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 21 June 2024
That effortful confidence carried over into politics.
—Evan Osnos, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for effortful 
Elaine Pulakos, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024
He’s introduced as an anxious father but then his particular behaviors — a hyper-attention to detail, the effortful attempt to control his jaw muscles, the tenseness of his smile — become signs of a more malevolent violence.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Aug. 2024
Tatum shot poorly, at times seeming stiffened by nerves; Brown, consistently effortful, sporadically dynamic, came to the rescue.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 21 June 2024
That effortful confidence carried over into politics.
—Evan Osnos, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for effortful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for effortful
Adjective
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An at least 200-year-old celebration of French and Mediterranean cuisine, macarons are renowned as the ‘impossible dessert,’ a result of the notoriously involved and difficult baking process.Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 20 Dec. 2024
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The manual entry of damage to structures like bridges used to be very expensive and time-consuming, a complex process made even more difficult by the fact that data entry and analysis are performed by both the agency’s own staff and external companies.Stephanie Glenk, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The agreement comes amid a challenging period for traditional department stores, which face mounting pressure from discount chains like Walmart, fast-fashion players and e-commerce companies like Amazon.Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024
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However, achieving consistent scoring across different runs can be challenging.Lukas Petersson, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Pioneering a Transparent, Equitable Future for Peer Review and Publishing of Scholarly Work For decades, the peer review process in academic publishing has been considered the benchmark—ensuring that only the most rigorous research makes its way into the world.Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 25 Dec. 2024
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Every mortgage review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of home loan products.Kelsey Neubauer, CNBC, 24 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Carro, known for his tough stance on crime and his experience with cases involving terrorism enhancements, will play a key role in shaping the trial's proceedings.Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024
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In December, the West Central Montana Avalanche Center made the tough decision to no longer send avalanche experts to Seeley Lake to test the snowpack.Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 23 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Watch it here, with a warning about his language: Season 2 will delve deeper into the personal and professional lives of NHL stars, offering viewers a 360-degree view of their lives both on and off the ice and sacrifice required to excel in one of the world’s most demanding sports.Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 19 Dec. 2024
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Some squirrels at California’s college campuses have become infamous among students for their demanding behavior, even winning student elections, but they’ve never been seen hunting smaller rodents on such a widespread scale.Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2024
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
Thesaurus Entries Near effortful
Cite this Entry
“Effortful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/effortful. Accessed 31 Dec. 2024.
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