as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
the book's abstruse subject matter and dense prose make for effortful reading
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Recent Examples of effortful
He’s introduced as an anxious father but then his particular behaviors — a hyper-attention to detail, the effortful attempt to control his jaw muscles, the tenseness of his smile — become signs of a more malevolent violence.
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Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Aug. 2024
Tatum shot poorly, at times seeming stiffened by nerves; Brown, consistently effortful, sporadically dynamic, came to the rescue.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 21 June 2024
That effortful confidence carried over into politics.
—Evan Osnos, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024
This is a significantly less effortful experience if a shopper has more than a few items.
—Roger Dooley, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for effortful 
Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Aug. 2024
Tatum shot poorly, at times seeming stiffened by nerves; Brown, consistently effortful, sporadically dynamic, came to the rescue.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 21 June 2024
That effortful confidence carried over into politics.
—Evan Osnos, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024
This is a significantly less effortful experience if a shopper has more than a few items.
—Roger Dooley, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for effortful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for effortful
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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These winds can cause significant damage, increase the frequency of wildfires, and make firefighting efforts more challenging, while also posing aviation hazards and creating turbulent surf conditions.Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
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But living on the coast has become more challenging in recent years.Corina Knoll, New York Times, 11 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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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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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
Thesaurus Entries Near effortful
Cite this Entry
“Effortful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/effortful. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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