1
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
the herculean task of grading 60 student essays over one weekend
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in enormous
unusually large
a herculean banquet table that took eight men to lift it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of herculean
From the get-go, Lonely reintroduces the herculean energy of her pre-Gladie songwriting.
—
Tatiana Tenreyro, Pitchfork, 20 Mar. 2026
Now, local officials in multiple states have begun the herculean work of changing the names of locations and holidays, as well as contemplating the fate of monuments and murals that honor Chavez.
—Daniella Silva, NBC news, 19 Mar. 2026
The local architect Rob Michel, an expert in midcentury preservation, would in turn oversee the project, which grew into a herculean logistical challenge requiring the coordination of some 100 specialists.
—Felix Wagner, Architectural Digest, 27 Feb. 2026
For Paramount, the road ahead will be paved with key management and strategic decisions, as well as a herculean effort to revitalize two media giants that have often struggled to navigate the streaming era.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 27 Feb. 2026
But both face a herculean task in catching him, given Malinin’s huge technical advantage over a longer program.
—Dave Skretta, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
While finding a new species in plain sight might seem simple, catching the birds – a relatively common sight in the Galapagos – proved a herculean task.
—Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 18 Jan. 2026
Yet expert after expert told me that rebooting the country’s oil industry would require a herculean effort.
—Rogé Karma, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2026
There is demand for more walkable communities but to carve out that kind of space would require herculean effort, involving the purchase of land, the demolition of buildings and approval to convert precious real estate into pedestrian zones.
—Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 19 Dec. 2025
Tatiana Tenreyro, Pitchfork, 20 Mar. 2026
Now, local officials in multiple states have begun the herculean work of changing the names of locations and holidays, as well as contemplating the fate of monuments and murals that honor Chavez.
—Daniella Silva, NBC news, 19 Mar. 2026
The local architect Rob Michel, an expert in midcentury preservation, would in turn oversee the project, which grew into a herculean logistical challenge requiring the coordination of some 100 specialists.
—Felix Wagner, Architectural Digest, 27 Feb. 2026
For Paramount, the road ahead will be paved with key management and strategic decisions, as well as a herculean effort to revitalize two media giants that have often struggled to navigate the streaming era.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 27 Feb. 2026
But both face a herculean task in catching him, given Malinin’s huge technical advantage over a longer program.
—Dave Skretta, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
While finding a new species in plain sight might seem simple, catching the birds – a relatively common sight in the Galapagos – proved a herculean task.
—Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 18 Jan. 2026
Yet expert after expert told me that rebooting the country’s oil industry would require a herculean effort.
—Rogé Karma, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2026
There is demand for more walkable communities but to carve out that kind of space would require herculean effort, involving the purchase of land, the demolition of buildings and approval to convert precious real estate into pedestrian zones.
—Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 19 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for herculean
Adjective
-
Christie acknowledged that the Kings were in a difficult position given their recent schedule injury situation.—
Jason Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Even putting the tank on the ice was more difficult this year.—
Spencer Wilson,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Of particular concern, the organization took steps to hide its money in shell political action committees and coordinated donations via individual donors while the candidates who benefited often feigned ignorance about enormous donations and expenditures.—
Jesse Jackson Jr,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
-
These events require enormous investments of time, money, space, and collective labor.—
Raphael Fonseca,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Orkin bed bug control Bed bug treatment is challenging, but something that Orkin excels at.—
Alora Bopray,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Turning your attention inward can feel challenging.—
J. David Creswell,
The Conversation,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
There are some really great ones on the market these days, a huge advancement past the egg crate toppers our parents used.—
Alora Bopray,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Nola said he was unfazed by taking the mound with a huge lead.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The judge assigned to Amin’s case was Iman Afshari, known in Tehran for his tough sentences—a reputation that led the European Union to place him on a blacklist, in January, for human-rights abuses.—
Cora Engelbrecht,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Two sisters in Big Bear are facing one of the toughest moments in their lives.—
Zach Boetto,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Scientists postulate that dolphins’ social nature and seeming empathy can release chemical endorphins in people who interact with them, creating a tremendous feeling of well-being.—
David McGrath,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
-
First, this is a tremendous blow to Kristi, who can’t hold a job.—
Joe Soucheray,
Twin Cities,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
This double-digit growth positions the $98-per-year service as a formidable challenger to Amazon Prime, leaning heavily on delivery speed and new streaming partnerships.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Its missile force is formidable.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The first time the scorebug appeared, it was accompanied by a gigantic advertisement that significantly increased the amount of space the graphic took up and remained for the entire inning.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Grow the infrastructure at Stockton’s gigantic port.—
Connor Letourneau,
San Francisco Chronicle,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Herculean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/herculean. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
