1
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
the herculean task of grading 60 student essays over one weekend
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in enormous
unusually large
a herculean banquet table that took eight men to lift it
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of herculean
But unseating Healey in Democrat and progressive Massachusetts will be a herculean task.
—
Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 6 Sep. 2025
The end result would be a chill bar night in our town in suburban Tacoma, Washington, for which Zachary felt a deep ambivalence; persuading him to attend the 10-year had already been a herculean task.
—Jordan Michelman, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2025
Raymond acknowledged he’s faced with a herculean task – not unlike Sisyphus rolling the boulder up the hill at Tartarus in Greek mythology.
—Rick Jervis, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2025
These are smart students who have painstakingly made their way in a herculean fashion through modern med school.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 6 Sep. 2025
The end result would be a chill bar night in our town in suburban Tacoma, Washington, for which Zachary felt a deep ambivalence; persuading him to attend the 10-year had already been a herculean task.
—Jordan Michelman, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2025
Raymond acknowledged he’s faced with a herculean task – not unlike Sisyphus rolling the boulder up the hill at Tartarus in Greek mythology.
—Rick Jervis, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2025
These are smart students who have painstakingly made their way in a herculean fashion through modern med school.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for herculean
Adjective
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Ncell, Nepal’s second-largest telecommunications service provider, noted that shutting down all platforms at once was, in any case, technically difficult and warned that the move would severely impact business.—
Nir Kshetri,
The Conversation,
14 Sep. 2025
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Last summer, after years of hip problems and some difficult surgeries to address them, Jill had an operation that went poorly.—
Bianca Bosker,
The Atlantic,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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For brands, the potential is enormous.—
Afdhel Aziz,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
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And that will be an enormous problem Thursday against Buffalo’s Josh Allen — perhaps the NFL’s top quarterback running threat — if it’s not corrected.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Partnered with Val Chmerkovskiy, Earle tackled a challenging routine that impressed the judges.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
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Real-world tests The scientists tested THOR AI on several challenging copper, argon, and tin cases.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Kirk’s death brought a tremendous response across the political spectrum.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Sep. 2025
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But mortgage rates remain elevated above 6%, freezing activity in the housing market that enjoyed a tremendous boom during the pandemic thanks to sub-3% mortgage rates.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The backcourt duo of Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman, also known as the StudBudz, are shifty, tough shot-making guards who can get hot in a hurry.—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
13 Sep. 2025
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And that’s tough on those guys.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The Studio Ends Big Night With Record Wins Seth Rogen closed out a huge night for Apple TV+’s The Studio, which won best comedy.—
Toni Fitzgerald,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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Stewart has also become a huge advocate for New Yorkers who were exposed to deadly toxins during the 9/11 attacks, and even spoke before Congress in 2019 to urge the passing of a bill that would provide aid to victims.—
Keith Langston,
Entertainment Weekly,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Rip currents are formidable natural forces, but knowing how to react can significantly increase your chances of safely navigating these challenging waters.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Sep. 2025
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On paper, the American team looked formidable, boasting Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, and other stars.—
Tim Corlett,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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You may be relieved to know that this book does not involve a gigantic replica of anyone’s birth canal.—
Jamie Harrow,
PEOPLE,
16 Sep. 2025
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Royer, who worked as an architect before joining Ford 15 years ago, said the miniature clay world headquarters will be something people can use to navigate the real-life gigantic space.—
Jamie L. LaReau,
Freep.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Herculean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/herculean. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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