What does gruelingly mean?
Gruelingly is an adverb meaning “in an extremely tiring or demanding manner,” as in a gruelingly difficult climb or a gruelingly competitive process. It describes not merely hard work but sustained effort that severely tests a person’s stamina, time, or concentration. The word is especially natural when the difficulty is conspicuous and demanding rather than ordinary. Gruelingly also has an older, now uncommon sense meaning “cruelly” or “mercilessly,” a usage that may be encountered in older literature but is avoided in most contemporary writing. In modern English, grueling, without the adverb ending, is the usual adjective, and gruelling is the common British spelling while grueling is standard in American English. The adverb is useful where the focus is on the painful or punishing quality of an experience rather than merely on whether something is difficult. It carries a strong connotation of exertion and hardship, though it does not necessarily imply that the result is worthwhile.
adverbIn an extremely tiring or demanding manner. In older usage, cruelly or mercilessly.
- In an extremely tiring or demanding manner, with great effort.
- In a cruel or merciless manner; rare and dated.
"The final ascent was gruelingly steep, and the exhausted climbers had to rest before continuing."
"The committee's gruelingly slow deliberations tested everyone's patience."
"She found the long reconciliation gruelingly difficult."
Gruelingly can describe everything from a brutal workout to, in older writing, a merciless act.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does gruelingly come from?
The modern adverb gruelingly was formed by adding -ly to grueling, an adjective based on the older English verb gruel, “to exhaust or wear out.” The noun gruel, meaning a thin liquid food, comes through Old French gruel from Latin gruellum, a diminutive associated with grutum, “groats” or “coarse meal.” The older sense of gruelingly meaning “cruelly” survives only rarely and is not the meaning normally intended today.
How gruelingly is actually used
The adjective is normally written grueling in American English and gruelling in British English. The sense meaning cruelly or mercilessly belongs to older usage and is rare today.
Easily confused with gruelingly
Grueling is the adjective meaning extremely tiring or demanding, whereas gruelingly is the adverb modifying an action, process, or experience.