as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
modern machinery has significantly eased the backbreaking work of farming
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Recent Examples of backbreaking
Plus, large shovels hold a backbreaking amount of snow.
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James Jackson, Popular Mechanics, 18 Sep. 2019
Drawing on unprecedented research, Chang shows how these men performed some of the most dangerous, most backbreaking work to build out the railroad from California, yet received virtually no credit for their contributions.
—Chris Fuchs, NBC News, 5 Nov. 2019
Spraying fields with pesticides and fertilizers, the drones -- which can cover up to 60 acres a day -- could boost crop yields, save time and make backbreaking field work much easier, according to Bug Away.
—Sarah Lazarus and Dan Tham, CNN, 3 July 2019
Facing the possibility of major defections, a roster implosion or a backbreaking salary cap position, Brand tap-danced his way through the minefield in impressive fashion.
—Ben Golliver, The Denver Post, 3 July 2019
See all Example Sentences for backbreaking 
James Jackson, Popular Mechanics, 18 Sep. 2019
Drawing on unprecedented research, Chang shows how these men performed some of the most dangerous, most backbreaking work to build out the railroad from California, yet received virtually no credit for their contributions.
—Chris Fuchs, NBC News, 5 Nov. 2019
Spraying fields with pesticides and fertilizers, the drones -- which can cover up to 60 acres a day -- could boost crop yields, save time and make backbreaking field work much easier, according to Bug Away.
—Sarah Lazarus and Dan Tham, CNN, 3 July 2019
Facing the possibility of major defections, a roster implosion or a backbreaking salary cap position, Brand tap-danced his way through the minefield in impressive fashion.
—Ben Golliver, The Denver Post, 3 July 2019
See all Example Sentences for backbreaking
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backbreaking
Adjective
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An at least 200-year-old celebration of French and Mediterranean cuisine, macarons are renowned as the ‘impossible dessert,’ a result of the notoriously involved and difficult baking process.Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 20 Dec. 2024
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The manual entry of damage to structures like bridges used to be very expensive and time-consuming, a complex process made even more difficult by the fact that data entry and analysis are performed by both the agency’s own staff and external companies.Stephanie Glenk, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The agreement comes amid a challenging period for traditional department stores, which face mounting pressure from discount chains like Walmart, fast-fashion players and e-commerce companies like Amazon.Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024
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Dear Reader, Feeling caught between family loyalty and your relationship with your boyfriend is a challenging position to navigate, especially during the holidays.Lori Gottlieb, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Carro, known for his tough stance on crime and his experience with cases involving terrorism enhancements, will play a key role in shaping the trial's proceedings.Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024
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In December, the West Central Montana Avalanche Center made the tough decision to no longer send avalanche experts to Seeley Lake to test the snowpack.Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 23 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Pioneering a Transparent, Equitable Future for Peer Review and Publishing of Scholarly Work For decades, the peer review process in academic publishing has been considered the benchmark—ensuring that only the most rigorous research makes its way into the world.Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 25 Dec. 2024
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Every mortgage review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of home loan products.Kelsey Neubauer, CNBC, 24 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Watch it here, with a warning about his language: Season 2 will delve deeper into the personal and professional lives of NHL stars, offering viewers a 360-degree view of their lives both on and off the ice and sacrifice required to excel in one of the world’s most demanding sports.Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 19 Dec. 2024
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Some squirrels at California’s college campuses have become infamous among students for their demanding behavior, even winning student elections, but they’ve never been seen hunting smaller rodents on such a widespread scale.Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 19 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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Today many companies face the formidable challenge of balancing rapid product delivery with uncompromising quality.Wayne Yu, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
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Following that, there’s time to catch the New Orleans Saints — likely to be without running back Alvin Kamara — at Green Bay Packers for some Love (Jordan, actually) this festive season, or there’s the struggling Anaheim Ducks at the formidable Vegas Golden Knights in the NHL.Eduardo Tansley, The Athletic, 22 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The Ravens are heavy road favorites coming off a dominant win against the Steelers, but this game will be close.Andy Biggs, Newsweek, 25 Dec. 2024
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But the Swedes are the heavy favorites in what is the weaker group in this year’s tournament.The Athletic NHL Staff, The Athletic, 24 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near backbreaking
Cite this Entry
“Backbreaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backbreaking. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
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