1
as in vigorous
marked by or uttered with forcefulness
parents who voiced strenuous objections to the new textbooks
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2
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
a strenuous workout on the obstacle course
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of strenuous
His appearance at the independent show was non-physical, with no indication of a return to strenuous in-ring action at that specific event.
—
Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 May 2025
Sparing her father the strenuous work, the slight girl carried two heavy buckets full of water all the way home, the knuckles of her fingers turned white from the heavy load, jeans soaked from the precious water sloshing about.
—Tareq Al Hilou, CNN Money, 21 May 2025
Sixteen Senate Democrats voted Monday evening to begin debate over the Genius Act, putting it on a path to pass the Senate next month, despite the strenuous objection of Warren and other liberal colleagues.
—Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 21 May 2025
People in those areas are advised to avoid strenuous outdoor activity from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on high-heat days.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for strenuous
Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 May 2025
Sparing her father the strenuous work, the slight girl carried two heavy buckets full of water all the way home, the knuckles of her fingers turned white from the heavy load, jeans soaked from the precious water sloshing about.
—Tareq Al Hilou, CNN Money, 21 May 2025
Sixteen Senate Democrats voted Monday evening to begin debate over the Genius Act, putting it on a path to pass the Senate next month, despite the strenuous objection of Warren and other liberal colleagues.
—Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 21 May 2025
People in those areas are advised to avoid strenuous outdoor activity from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on high-heat days.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for strenuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strenuous
Adjective
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That piece, and the book that would follow, has become a staple of environmental humanities classes for decades and still stirs vigorous classroom debate today.—
Daegan Miller
June 5,
Literary Hub,
5 June 2025
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Media reports that Saudi Arabia will lift its decades-old ban on alcohol in select tourist zones have prompted the flare-up of a vigorous online debate in the conservative kingdom, with some voices in support and others in strong opposition.—
Amira El-Fekki,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 May 2025
Adjective
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The litigation in the case continues, but in the short term, many migrants will be left with difficult choices.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
30 May 2025
-
And hegemony is difficult to maintain in the long run.—
Andrew Latham,
The Conversation,
30 May 2025
Adjective
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Addressing the Obvious Critiques Yes, 3–4% real growth is aggressive.—
Don Muir,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
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After the aggressive animal showed no signs of leaving, the woman’s boyfriend fatally shot it, officials said.—
Paloma Chavez,
Sacbee.com,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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Building wealth can be a challenging task, especially in challenging economic times.—
Anne-Lyse Ngatta,
Forbes.com,
3 June 2025
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The rise of one of this season’s greatest scene-stealers makes for a challenging conundrum — how far does the apple fall from the tree?—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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This sweeping action included both nonviolent participants and those convicted of violent crimes against law enforcement.—
Alia Shoaib,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 May 2025
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Individual plots veer between cartoonish farce (the gang accidentally makes friends with a violent criminal) and more mundane problems (Billie loses her insurance and gets into medical debt).—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
28 May 2025
Adjective
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These days, most people delivering your forecasts are scientists with rigorous training in calculus, fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, atmospheric physics and the other meteorological coursework.—
Marshall Shepherd,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
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The Council for Higher Education Accreditation ensures accrediting agencies uphold rigorous standards.—
Hanna Park,
CNN Money,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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When asked if the current staffing shortages would affect the accuracy of storm forecast models, Graham was emphatic.—
Alex Harris,
Miami Herald,
22 May 2025
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The lasting image from that series was Roy Hibbert’s emphatic block on Carmelo Anthony with 5:03 left in Game 6.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
19 May 2025
Adjective
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This is a time for doing the tough, often unglamorous job of making the city function for all New Yorkers.—
Scott Stringer,
New York Daily News,
3 June 2025
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There are powerful levers to pull if Trump chooses, like increasing US military aid or imposing tough new sanctions, such as those overwhelmingly supported in the US Senate.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
3 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Strenuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strenuous. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.
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