Grueling meaning of word

Hem / Utbildning & Karriär / Grueling meaning of word

Etymology

The word "grueling" derives from the verb "gruel," which means to subject someone to severe hardship or punishment.

Conclusion

In summary, the word "grueling" encapsulates the essence of extreme effort and difficulty, whether it be physical, mental, or emotional.

From Baltimore Sun

Until the internet came along, researching your family was a grueling and often unrewarding process.

Amaze your friends with your new-found knowledge! However, it can also carry a sense of achievement when one overcomes a grueling task, leading to a sense of accomplishment.

From NPR

The next four hours were a steep, panting, leg-burning climb, step after grueling step.

From Huffington Post

At the time, the 29-year-old spent grueling hours in the gym preparing for amateur kickboxing competitions.

The term "gruel" itself has roots in Old French "gruau," which means "oatmeal," a thin, watery porridge that was typically associated with hardship and meager living conditions. Read more

Collins Dictionaries for Schools

Our new online dictionaries for schools provide a safe and appropriate environment for children. It invokes feelings of endurance and perseverance, as one must often push through difficulty to reach a goal.

Learn how to tell business actions from biology and prisons! Read more

We have almost 200 lists of words from topics as varied as types of butterflies, jackets, currencies, vegetables and knots! Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.

From Business Insider

Yet he has never lost his will to compete in what is arguably the most grueling tournament in the world.

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Meaning of grueling in English

Some of those contacts with grieving family members must have been grueling.

It carries rich connotations of hardship and persistence, making it a powerful descriptor in both everyday language and more specialized contexts.

From Los Angeles Times

She had a grueling 26.2-mile course ahead of her.

Examples:

The grueling hike left everyone exhausted by the end of the day.
He underwent a grueling five-hour exam that tested all his knowledge.

The association connects to the idea of tiresome labor or arduous tasks that drain ones energy, much like the consumption of a meager meal.

This morphological change signifies that the exhaustion is ongoing or continuous.

Synonyms: Some common synonyms for "grueling" include:

Exhausting
Arduous
Taxing
Strenuous
Punishing
Onerous

Antonyms: Conversely, antonyms that convey the opposite meaning might include:

Easy
Effortless
Simple
Relaxing

Contextual Usage

The term "grueling" is versatile and can be applied in a variety of contexts, including:

Physical Challenges: Often used in sports or fitness, where an exercise regimen or event requires intense physical endurance (e.g., "The marathon was a grueling test of stamina.").
Work and Labor: It can also describe demanding work situations, such as long hours or high-pressure tasks (e.g., "The project came with a grueling timeline that left the team exhausted.").
Mental Challenges: In academic or strategic contexts, a task requiring deep focus can also be described as grueling (e.g., "Studying for the bar exam was a grueling process.").

Connotations

The connotation of "grueling" is often negative, suggesting not only hard work but also a sense of suffering or struggle.

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