variants
or gruelling
1
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
running a marathon is grueling
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in challenging
requiring much time, effort, or careful attention
cutting diamonds can be grueling work
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 grueling
That's a relatively common decision for figure skating gold medal winners, who face a rush of media and commercial opportunities after a grueling four-year Olympic buildup.
—
CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
That’s a heavy dose of sarcasm for those who overreacted to Judge’s first few at-bats of a long, grueling season.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 27 Mar. 2026
His approach comes at a time when landing a job has never felt more grueling.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026
But there is an undeniable magic to the start of a grueling 162-game marathon.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for grueling
CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
That’s a heavy dose of sarcasm for those who overreacted to Judge’s first few at-bats of a long, grueling season.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 27 Mar. 2026
His approach comes at a time when landing a job has never felt more grueling.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026
But there is an undeniable magic to the start of a grueling 162-game marathon.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for grueling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grueling
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
-
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
-
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
-
The right answer, if there is one, has to be more demanding.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
-
This high-capacity version ensures your most demanding creative assets are always instantly accessible, cementing its status as a premier, long-term investment for any mobile professional.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Cameron is completing the rigorous prerequisites to apply to the competitive cardiovascular technology program at Grossmont College while caring for her daughter.—
Julie Gallant,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Every car insurance review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of car insurance products.—
Liz Knueven,
CNBC,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The deal followed arduous bipartisan negotiations over the last six weeks.—
Marissa Martinez,
NBC news,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Post-punk bands face few gauntlets as arduous as the slow song, and Landowner challenge themselves to traverse three of them.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Saturn in your companionable 7th house is encouraging Pluto in your playful 5th house, so the energy of these cosmic powerhouses should be a little less hard to handle and a lot more fun!—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Jamaica born About a hundred people gathered to lay Wilson to rest, singing, crying and laughing while remembering his kind heart, his hard work and his famous barbecue ribs and chicken wings.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Yahoo will be competing against a familiar foil in Google, which remains the same formidable force that spelled the company's demise 20 years ago and has been progressively layering more AI into its search engine with its Gemini technology.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Then finding the players who can execute them has made UConn the sport’s most formidable force.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grueling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grueling. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
