grueling tasks

USAGE SUMMARY

'grueling tasks' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It can be used to refer to tasks that are difficult and exhausting. For example, "The students were assigned grueling tasks which took several hours to complete."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

They spend their days at grueling tasks: herding sheep, goats and pigs, searching for firewood, collecting dung.

Stanford University

Traditional autopsies, if shown at all, are, at best, in supporting roles to the high-tech equipment, and usually gloss over the sometimes physically grueling tasks of sawing through skin and bone.

Johns Hopkins University

The successful ones tend to have a drive to get to the White House that makes the early mornings, late nights, absence from family events and other grueling tasks of a campaign more appealing than all of the other more reasonable options.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

She takes on the physically grueling task with ninja-like focus and suppleness.

The New York Times - Arts

He can make $127 a month doing this tedious, grueling task as part of "cash for work," a program the NGOs have coordinated that pays IDPs to develop their settlements.

Vice

"It's just a grueling, grueling run.

The New York Times - Sports

"Coming out here, it feels like my minutes and hours go further". The task is grueling but uplifting work, especially for Democrats who feel guilty that they did not do enough in 2016 to help their party.

Los Angeles Times

Other tasks are more grueling.

The New York Times

It is grueling to pay attention to criticism of a completed task when so many other tasks are waiting.

Huffington Post

The job can be grueling.

The New York Times

Their contributions are enormous, their tasks unending and the nature of their labors grueling.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing demanding work, use "grueling tasks" to emphasize the physical or mental exhaustion involved. It's stronger than simply saying 'difficult'.

Common error

Avoid using "grueling tasks" in very casual conversations or informal writing. It can sound overly formal or dramatic in contexts where simpler language would suffice. For everyday chores, consider using less intense descriptions.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "grueling tasks" functions as an adjective-noun combination. The adjective "grueling" modifies the noun "tasks", emphasizing the difficulty and exhausting nature of the tasks. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Academia

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "grueling tasks" is a grammatically sound and semantically rich way to describe demanding activities. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it accurately conveys difficulty and exhaustion. While relatively infrequent, appearing mostly in news and academic contexts, its impact is significant when emphasizing the strenuous nature of work. When writing, consider the context and audience, opting for simpler language in informal settings. Remember to use "grueling tasks" when you want to highlight the intense effort required, setting it apart from merely 'difficult' work.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

demanding assignments

Replaces 'grueling' with 'demanding', focusing on the high requirements and effort needed.

arduous duties

Uses 'arduous' instead of 'grueling', highlighting the strenuous and challenging aspect of the duties.

strenuous activities

Employs 'strenuous' to underscore the physically or mentally taxing nature of the activities.

challenging endeavors

Substitutes 'grueling' with 'challenging', emphasizing the difficulty and the need for problem-solving skills.

taxing responsibilities

Replaces 'tasks' with 'responsibilities' and 'grueling' with 'taxing', indicating the burden and pressure associated with the work.

difficult undertakings

Uses 'difficult' and 'undertakings' to highlight the complexity and effort required.

exhausting chores

Emphasizes the draining and tiring nature of the chores.

tiring activities

Focuses on the fatigue caused by the activities.

backbreaking labor

Highlights the physically demanding aspect of the labor.

onerous tasks

Replaces 'grueling' with 'onerous', emphasizing the burdensome nature of the tasks.

FAQs

How can I use "grueling tasks" in a sentence?

You can use "grueling tasks" to describe work that is physically or mentally exhausting. For example, "The mountain climbers faced "grueling tasks" as they ascended the steep slopes".

What are some synonyms for "grueling tasks"?

Alternatives include "demanding assignments", "arduous duties", or "strenuous activities", each emphasizing different aspects of the difficulty.

Is "grueling tasks" formal or informal?

"Grueling tasks" leans towards a more formal register. While understandable in most contexts, consider using simpler terms in very casual settings.

What makes a task "grueling"?

A task is "grueling" when it requires significant physical or mental effort and is likely to cause exhaustion. It implies a high degree of difficulty and strain.