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gruelling

British

/ ˈɡruːəlɪŋ /

adjective

severe or tiring

a gruelling interview

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

informal a severe experience, esp punishment

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of gruelling

C19: from now obsolete vb gruel to exhaust, punish

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.

Gaethje defeated the Liverpudlian on points in a gruelling encounter in Las Vegas in which Pimblett never managed to build any momentum.

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026

Roaring crowds welcomed Greg - who said he'd "never cycle again" after an emotional, gruelling, week - as he pulled into Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, to complete his challenge.

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026

Dury arrived at the location following a gruelling four-hour journey, which should have been two hours, but was made longer by road closures.

From BBC • Feb. 27, 2026

Marquez capped a remarkable comeback from injury last year, winning his first championship since 2019 after a gruelling struggle that almost forced him to hang up his helmet.

From Barron's • Feb. 26, 2026

As soon as this happened, they cheerfully abandoned the gruelling, dangerous, and often spartan life of hunter-gatherers, settling down to enjoy the pleasant, satiated life of farmers.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023