as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
dreaded the Augean task of cleaning the bathroom after an overflow of the toilet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of Augean
Obasanjo’s return to power as a civilian leader was supposed to be an economic and political reset, a cleaning of the Augean stables.
—
Uzodinma Iweala, Foreign Affairs, 21 June 2022
Uzodinma Iweala, Foreign Affairs, 21 June 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for Augean
Adjective
-
As college sports continues its rapid professionalization, the ACC is in a difficult spot.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
19 Mar. 2025
-
Most of the files are scans of documents, and some are blurred or have become faint or difficult to read in the decades since Kennedy's assassination.—
Joel Shannon,
USA TODAY,
19 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Join 27 others in the comments View Comments The more surgeries that are performed over a lifetime, the higher potential there is for traumatized tissue, Dr. Truesdale added, noting that revision operations are inherently more challenging.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN,
22 Mar. 2025
-
However, the reinstatements have proven to be more challenging.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Professional gamers adhere to rigorous schedules to refine their craft.—
Adam Rumanek,
Rolling Stone,
13 Mar. 2025
-
Facing those challenges, top education officials moved to eliminate the elementary school at P.S. 76, and merge grades 6-8 with Mott Hall II, a nearby middle school that is adding a rigorous high school program.—
Cayla Bamberger,
New York Daily News,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
By reducing latency and enabling real-time decision-making, these systems ensure that city services remain nimble under the most demanding conditions.—
Cathy Hackl,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
-
Everest's unpredictable weather and difficult breathing conditions make this one of the most physically and mentally demanding climbs in the world.—
Samantha Stutsman,
People.com,
22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
In the vast plains of North America, a formidable predator once reigned supreme.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
-
Connecticut’s offense is formidable, but its defense is suspect.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
The Athletic,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The opening weekend miss for what was a very buzzy Sundance title back in 2023 about a troubled but ambitious bodybuilder follows controversy around its star and comes at a tough time for indie films in general.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
23 Mar. 2025
-
As long as Flagg is on the floor, the Blue Devils will be a tough out.—
Tobias Bass,
The Athletic,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Meanwhile, Republicans lacked the votes to pass anything so their amendments tended to be trollish and toilsome fliers meant to either own the libs or just annoy the legislators.—
Matt Ford,
The New Republic,
9 Aug. 2022
-
But as these commemorations advance these important discussions, another more toilsome question continues to unfold in the background: What will happen to those who actually participated in the attack on the U.S. Capitol?—
Jason Linkins,
The New Republic,
8 Jan. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Augean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Augean. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share