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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of grueling
The road to San Francisco for Super Bowl LX begins in the grueling summer heat.
—
Rob Maaddi, Twin Cities, 21 July 2025
Competitors will have to climb a grueling 4,550 meters (about 14,930 feet) over the course of 130 km (almost 80.8 miles), the stage runs through the heart of the French Alps from Albertville all the way up to La Plagne.
—Rory Fleming, CNN Money, 19 July 2025
All four of them needed the bread, but the grueling schedule left Cook and Matlock miserable after just a few months.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 12 July 2025
Anisimova, 23, won 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in a grueling three-set match.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for grueling
Rob Maaddi, Twin Cities, 21 July 2025
Competitors will have to climb a grueling 4,550 meters (about 14,930 feet) over the course of 130 km (almost 80.8 miles), the stage runs through the heart of the French Alps from Albertville all the way up to La Plagne.
—Rory Fleming, CNN Money, 19 July 2025
All four of them needed the bread, but the grueling schedule left Cook and Matlock miserable after just a few months.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 12 July 2025
Anisimova, 23, won 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in a grueling three-set match.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for grueling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grueling
Adjective
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Some students may face family challenges that affect their ability to get to school, and some changes to the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness test, such as its move to online instead of paper form, could be difficult for students who only access computers at school, Maldonado said.—
Keri Heath,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
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Diseases that are difficult to manage without early intervention, including diabetes, heart disease and cancer, place a significant burden on health care budgets and patient quality of life.—
Kim Praitano,
Sun Sentinel,
29 July 2025
Adjective
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Points available at the stage’s finish vary based on a coefficient of difficulty: the more challenging the stage, the fewer points available.—
Sophie Kaufman,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
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Besides the challenging business climate in Chicago, President Donald Trump’s tariffs are contributing to rising food costs, and his immigration crackdown threatens to disrupt the food-service workforce.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
21 July 2025
Adjective
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In the more demanding Steel Nomad benchmark, the Dell 16 Plus trailed both the Acer Swift 16 AI and LG Gram Pro.—
Brian Westover,
PC Magazine,
17 July 2025
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Montague also points out that only six Skyview suites exist across the entire 822-guest ship, creating the kind of scarcity that discerning travelers are increasingly demanding.—
Alexis Benveniste,
Robb Report,
16 July 2025
Adjective
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After an arduous process the first comprehensive stablecoin legislation, and first pro-crypto federal legislation, has become law in the form of the GENIUS Act.—
Sean Stein Smith,
Forbes.com,
25 July 2025
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Upon his arrival in the city of Balboa, in Panama, a group of U.S. soldiers surprised him with coffee and fresh milk after an arduous journey with scarce food.—
Wesley J. Pérez Vidal,
NBC news,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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The tougher policy changes are adding to the minors’ trauma, advocates say.—
Nicol León,
AZCentral.com,
22 July 2025
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Her tough but fair approach caught the attention of Ed Koch, New York City's mayor at the time, who appointed her as a criminal court judge in 1982.—
Allison DeGrushe Published,
EW.com,
21 July 2025
Adjective
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Ozzy Osbourne shared 3 children with first wife Thelma Riley The father of six children over two marriages, Osbourne has been vocal about how rigorous touring and alcohol use affected his family life.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
23 July 2025
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The 22-year-old flew to the United States and went through the DCC’s rigorous tryouts, eventually becoming one of six new rookies to join the 36-member squad, out of thousands who auditioned.—
Sean Neumann,
People.com,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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Avoid tall, isolated trees or other elevated objects.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
25 July 2025
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Keep a distance from tall, solitary trees or other elevated structures.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
25 July 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
Cite this Entry
“Grueling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grueling. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
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