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
Instead of simplifying the process, Whole Foods found a way to make checking out with an alcohol purchase significantly more effortful.
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Roger Dooley, Forbes, 26 Sep. 2024
Moreover, job candidates may get turned off by companies that require lengthy, effortful assessment processes.
—Elaine Pulakos, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024
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.
—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
See all Example Sentences for effortful 
Roger Dooley, Forbes, 26 Sep. 2024
Moreover, job candidates may get turned off by companies that require lengthy, effortful assessment processes.
—Elaine Pulakos, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024
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.
—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
See all Example Sentences for effortful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for effortful
Adjective
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Despite his success, Axiom’s presence in WWE is remarkable, as professional wrestling remains niche in Spain and has been difficult to find on TV.Jamie Lang, Variety, 6 Jan. 2025
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However, the complexity of the systems required to control so many qubits makes scalability difficult.Peter Cohan, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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That realization reinforced for me the importance of breaking stereotypes about introverts and challenging misconceptions.Kendra MacDonald, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
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Farley said those earnings included the export of vehicles such as the Lincoln Nautilus, which is exclusively produced in China for other markets such as the U.S. China has been an increasingly challenging market for automakers, especially western legacy companies such as Ford and General Motors.Michael Wayland, CNBC, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The Kings hadn’t played since their double-overtime win over the Miami Heat on Monday, leaving three days between games, which likely would have meant at least one rigorous practice with Brown at the helm.Chris Biderman, Sacramento Bee, 11 Jan. 2025
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Truth, in this sense, is sought and rendered, something produced by rigorous inquiry and informed consideration rather than something discovered.Fergus McIntosh, The New Yorker, 11 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Households are currently seeing significant reductions in their monthly electricity usage, resulting in cost savings—a big relief, especially in tough economic times.Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 10 Jan. 2025
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Reporting Highlights Child Care Gap: About 70% of rural Illinoisans live in a child care desert, forcing tough choices on parents: Some drive 100 miles a day or more to find care, others leave the workforce.ProPublica, ProPublica, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Two of the judges on the D.C. Circuit applied strict scrutiny, the highest and most demanding form of judicial review, and said the government satisfied that standard.Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 10 Jan. 2025
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Consumers are more demanding than ever, seeking true desirability, hyper-personalization, sustainability and seamless omnichannel experiences.Jill Standish, Forbes, 9 Jan. 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
Thesaurus Entries Near effortful
Cite this Entry
“Effortful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/effortful. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
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