strenuous hours

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "strenuous hours" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe periods of time that are physically or mentally demanding, often in the context of work or activities that require significant effort. Example: "After working through strenuous hours on the project, the team finally met the deadline."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

He was on his way to the theater to rehearse for three strenuous hours.

The New York Times

Jack McMahon, the Warriors' director of player personnel, and Mark Jackson, the Knick playmaker, can attest to the strenuous hours Mullin put in to reclaim his body.

The New York Times - Sports

For three stressful, strenuous hours Wednesday, the Miami Heat lived the mantra coined by their slogan-happy coach: "Embrace the difficult".

The New York Times - Sports

For eight strenuous hours, the cardinal was pressed to explain why he had decided to return priests who were confirmed sexual abusers back to ministry.

The New York Times

For two or three strenuous hours, lugging his gear piecemeal, he scrambled up and down the overgrown bank, at the top of which lay the rotting carcass of a stray dog.

The New Yorker

Of course, to make cheese like this, you must first buy fresh milk or own a farm and stock it with cows or sheep or goats plus equipment, and spend endless strenuous hours carrying around heavy pails and obsessively cleaning equipment to make sure it's sanitary.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

She has resumed drinking wine, eating chocolate, running and lifting weights, napping, casually booking cross-country & transcontinental flights, and working long, strenuous attorney hours again.

TechCrunch

Though some studies suggest migrants are more able to resist exploitation [ 2, 51], recent reports document illegally low wages and strenuous work hours [ 4, 53, 54].

BMC Public Health

I'd spent the full year with the team, and, looking around the room at that moment, I suddenly found myself thinking back to all the strenuous sixteen-hour days that go into the sixteen hours of a football season.

The New Yorker

We arrived in Solambu on the afternoon of January 14th, after a strenuous four-hour ride through bumpy dirt roads.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Hikers wanting to walk the entire 16-mile length of the Narrows can do so in two ways: an overnight trip, or a strenuous 12-hour hike.

The New York Times - Travel

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing work or training schedules, use "strenuous hours" to convey a sense of intense effort and dedication. For example, "The athletes endured strenuous hours of practice to prepare for the competition."

Common error

Avoid using "strenuous hours" when simply referring to long hours. "Strenuous" implies a high degree of effort and exhaustion, not just duration.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "strenuous hours" functions as an adjective-noun combination, where "strenuous" modifies the noun "hours". As Ludwig AI explains, it describes a period characterized by demanding effort. Examples from Ludwig show it modifying work, rehearsals, and hiking.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "strenuous hours" is a grammatically correct phrase that describes periods of intense effort, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. While not extremely common, it is readily understood and used in various contexts, particularly in News & Media and Academia. The phrase implies a high degree of physical or mental exertion, differentiating it from simpler terms like "long hours". Alternatives such as "demanding hours" or "arduous hours" can be used to convey similar meanings. When using "strenuous hours", ensure it accurately reflects the demanding nature of the activity being described. Top sources for this phrase include The New York Times and Huffington Post, indicating its credibility and widespread use.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

demanding hours

Replaces "strenuous" with "demanding", emphasizing the challenging requirements of the hours.

arduous hours

Substitutes "strenuous" with "arduous", highlighting the difficulty and effort involved.

grueling hours

Replaces "strenuous" with "grueling", stressing the exhausting and physically demanding nature of the hours.

taxing hours

Uses "taxing" instead of "strenuous", emphasizing the depleting and burdensome aspect of the hours.

rigorous hours

Substitutes "strenuous" with "rigorous", highlighting the strictness and thoroughness required during those hours.

challenging hours

Replaces "strenuous" with "challenging", focusing on the difficulty and the need to overcome obstacles during those hours.

tiring hours

Uses "tiring" instead of "strenuous", emphasizing the fatigue and weariness resulting from the hours.

difficult hours

A more general alternative, replacing "strenuous" with "difficult" to indicate the hardship of the hours.

laborious hours

Replaces "strenuous" with "laborious", emphasizing the hard work and effort involved.

tough hours

Substitutes "strenuous" with "tough", indicating the resilience and strength required during those hours.

FAQs

How can I use "strenuous hours" in a sentence?

You can use "strenuous hours" to describe periods of intense physical or mental effort. For example, "The project required many "strenuous hours" of coding and debugging."

What are some alternatives to "strenuous hours"?

Alternatives include "demanding hours", "arduous hours", or "grueling hours", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "strenuous hour" instead of "strenuous hours"?

While grammatically correct, "strenuous hour" is less common. "Strenuous hours" usually refers to a prolonged period of intense activity. If you're referring to a single, particularly tough hour, "strenuous hour" is acceptable, but ensure the context is clear.

What's the difference between "strenuous hours" and "long hours"?

"Long hours" simply indicates a significant duration of time spent, while "strenuous hours" implies that the time was spent doing something particularly difficult or demanding. It's not just about the quantity of time, but also the intensity of the activity during that time.