tough sledding

Idioms and Phrases

Difficult work or progress, as in This bill faces tough sledding in the legislature . This idiom transfers the route on which a sled can travel to other kinds of progress toward a goal. It was first recorded as hard sledding in 1839. For the antonym, see easy sledding .

Example Sentences

He also writes academic medical articles that are at times pretty tough sledding.

From The Daily Beast

"Tough sledding," he wheezed, as he sat upon his barrow handles and wiped his brow with a bandanna handkerchief.

From Project Gutenberg

It has been pretty tough sledding waiting for the next Australian steamer, but, thank God!

From Project Gutenberg

"Tough sledding we'd have had with an automobile over those hills," he said.

From Project Gutenberg

"It's been pretty tough sledding out there in the mining country," he said.

From Project Gutenberg