Definitions

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.

It might have taught him that war can be long and grueling.

From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026

And from hearing my own friends’ stories, it sounded grueling emotionally.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026

She keeps a grueling schedule, arriving at security meetings every weekday at 6 a.m., impeccably dressed.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

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

From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026

After the first Friday, a bone-weary Ernest Lawrence boarded a red-eye flight west for a few days at Balboa and was back in the air two days later for another grueling week.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Vocabulary lists containing grueling

100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know

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List 7

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Touching Spirit Bear

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