grueling

[groo-uh-ling, groo-ling] / ˈgru ə lɪŋ, ˈgru lɪŋ /

ADJECTIVE

difficult, taxing

Synonyms

STRONGEST

arduous backbreaking brutal demanding excruciating exhausting fierce laborious punishing strenuous tiring torturous trying

WEAK

chastening crushing fatiguing grinding hairy hard harsh heavy racking severe stiff

Antonyms

STRONGEST

easy effortless facile gentle kind trivial

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Enacting change at the federal level has been a grueling process.

From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026

But the contract also secured a 40-hour week with flex time off for extra hours, addressing long-standing complaints about grueling schedules.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2026

But it’d be fun, not too physically grueling.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

Yet the report also gave a strong hint about why people are searching for stability: The job hunt today can be grueling.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 3, 2026

After hours of grueling labor, I finally got the ramp made.

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir

Vocabulary lists containing grueling

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