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
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Recent Examples of pick-and-shovel
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.
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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
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
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Gracefully opting out Navigating the discomfort of setting boundaries around gift-giving traditions can be challenging.Julianna Bragg, CNN, 11 Dec. 2024
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Choosing the best baked ham online can be challenging—there are glazed and non-glazed options, spiral-cut and whole, boneless and bone-in, and large or small hams.Carrie Honaker, Southern Living, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The day of his funeral was an incredibly difficult one for his grieving widow Barbara, their four adult children, including Kordisch Tucker, and his grandchildren.Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2024
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Weightiness in Its Black and White Cinematography Co-star Nicholas Hoult had his own experience dealing with these difficult scene partners and decided to make the best of it by having fun with some of his fellow players, including Bill Skarsgård, who plays the blood-thirsty creature Count Orlok.Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 7 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The clients’ storefronts are positioned to succeed in a sometimes tough marketplace by focusing on exclusivity and quality.Tyler Shepherd, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024
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In a time when people approach political, social and economic issues with a different set of information and fake news is rampant, the best way to do that is to approach tough conversations with stories rather than facts.Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The finding that Israel has perpetrated genocide is a conclusion based on painstaking research and rigorous legal analysis.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
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The legal profession has long been recognized for its rigorous standards and competitive environment.Jennifer Jay Palumbo, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Furthermore, selling a business is extremely demanding work, so having appropriate incentives in place for the key executives of the business to be divested is imperative.Raj Sharma, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
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For the first time in our nearly 50-year history, a Black actress won our lead performance category — for an exceptionally demanding turn that only someone of Jean-Baptiste’s caliber could pull off.Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 9 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
Adjective
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The Chiefs also have rookie Xavier Worthy, but the team needs another receiver on par with Hopkins to ensure the offense stays formidable.Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
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The designer leaned into his formidable cutting skills and theatrical bent, designing with high-tech fabrications that interact with smartphones, with foam-like materials, and experimenting in garment reconfiguration.Miles Socha, WWD, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Some, like comedy kingpin Chuck Lorre, have more complicated deals that may eclipse those of the mega-earners due to back-end compensation terms for shows that perform well.Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 11 Dec. 2024
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Many Millennials have already climbed part of the corporate ladder, which can make leaving feel riskier or more complicated for them.Arthur Zaczkiewicz, WWD, 10 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near pick-and-shovel
Cite this Entry
“Pick-and-shovel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pick-and-shovel. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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