variants
or gruelling
1
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
running a marathon is grueling
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in challenging
requiring much time, effort, or careful attention
cutting diamonds can be grueling work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of grueling
This can be a grueling 10 days for restaurant staff.
—
David Hudnall, Kansas City Star, 3 Jan. 2025
After taxes the winners are walking away with around $200,000 for three months of filming and a grueling Final — the winner of Survivor 47 scooped up more than double that just for lounging on the beach in Fiji for 26 days munching on french fries.
—Emma Sharpe, Vulture, 1 Jan. 2025
His grueling tour schedule—sometimes performing 250 shows per year—had taken a severe toll on both his physical and mental health.
—Jenzia Burgos, StyleCaster, 31 Dec. 2024
Reeves, whose character faces an ambiguous, potentially fatal end at the close of Chapter 4, has spoken previously about the grueling filming process of each John Wick adaptation.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 28 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for grueling 
David Hudnall, Kansas City Star, 3 Jan. 2025
After taxes the winners are walking away with around $200,000 for three months of filming and a grueling Final — the winner of Survivor 47 scooped up more than double that just for lounging on the beach in Fiji for 26 days munching on french fries.
—Emma Sharpe, Vulture, 1 Jan. 2025
His grueling tour schedule—sometimes performing 250 shows per year—had taken a severe toll on both his physical and mental health.
—Jenzia Burgos, StyleCaster, 31 Dec. 2024
Reeves, whose character faces an ambiguous, potentially fatal end at the close of Chapter 4, has spoken previously about the grueling filming process of each John Wick adaptation.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 28 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for grueling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grueling
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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Though bucks are known to get their antlers tangled up during fights on rare occasions, this predicament was particularly challenging — and called for very steady aim, according to wildlife officials.—
Mitchell Willetts,
Kansas City Star,
22 Jan. 2025
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From the wreckage, cosmonaut Exo emerges, and cohabitation between them turns out to be a challenging endeavor.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Today’s shoppers are more demanding, more savvy and more cost-conscious than ever before.—
Gary Drenik,
Forbes,
21 Jan. 2025
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Friends and sources told PEOPLE at the time that although Silva was excited for Costner’s Hollywood ascendance, their relationship became more difficult due to his increasingly demanding schedule.—
Brendan Le,
People.com,
18 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Even those with full, traditional coverage face an arduous claims process to receive full benefits from an industry known for low-balling policyholders.—
Carmen Balber,
Rolling Stone,
17 Jan. 2025
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Speaker of the House Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, cautioned that finding common ground with Kelly on reform may still be an arduous process.—
Matthew Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Bridges finished with 10 points on 3-of-12 shooting from the field against his old team, and Anunoby scored 20 points on 8-of-18 shooting from the field to go with tough defense on Johnson, who shot an abysmal 6-of-20 from the field for 16 points.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
22 Jan. 2025
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Whether you’re drawn to stories of resilience, advocacy, or how laughter and love can help us through life’s toughest moments, this film will leave you inspired and hopeful.—
Matt Minton,
Variety,
22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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These suppliers undergo rigorous vetting processes and must meet safety standards to prevent potential hazards.—
Tim Bajarin,
Forbes,
23 Jan. 2025
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Like many large employers, the agency proactively seeks qualified candidates from as many sources as possible, all of whom must meet rigorous qualifications that of course will vary by position.—
John Yoo and John Shu,
Newsweek,
23 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Native to Puerto Rico and parts of the Leeward Islands, cowboy prickly pear can grow to 10 feet tall in the wild.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Jan. 2025
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Failure to pinch the tips out of new growth of copper plants, fall asters, mums, Mexican bush salvias, coleus, and other summer color plants that tend to grow too tall over the course of a long Texas growing season.—
Neil Sperry,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 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
Thesaurus Entries Near grueling
Cite this Entry
“Grueling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grueling. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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