as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
the book's abstruse subject matter and dense prose make for effortful reading
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of effortful
Cronin said that the Ducks’ recent pair of losses to the Kings – the Ducks also lost to their crosstown rivals, 3-2, on Saturday in Ontario – demonstrated some of what his club should emulate in terms of effortful shot-blocking and aggressive forechecking.
—
Andrew Knoll, Orange County Register, 1 Oct. 2024
Instead of simplifying the process, Whole Foods found a way to make checking out with an alcohol purchase significantly more effortful.
—Roger Dooley, Forbes, 26 Sep. 2024
Moreover, job candidates may get turned off by companies that require lengthy, effortful assessment processes.
—Elaine Pulakos, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024
He’s introduced as an anxious father but then his particular behaviors — a hyper-attention to detail, the effortful attempt to control his jaw muscles, the tenseness of his smile — become signs of a more malevolent violence.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for effortful 
Andrew Knoll, Orange County Register, 1 Oct. 2024
Instead of simplifying the process, Whole Foods found a way to make checking out with an alcohol purchase significantly more effortful.
—Roger Dooley, Forbes, 26 Sep. 2024
Moreover, job candidates may get turned off by companies that require lengthy, effortful assessment processes.
—Elaine Pulakos, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024
He’s introduced as an anxious father but then his particular behaviors — a hyper-attention to detail, the effortful attempt to control his jaw muscles, the tenseness of his smile — become signs of a more malevolent violence.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for effortful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for effortful
Adjective
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Nevertheless, the offer could make OpenAI’s reorganization plans more difficult – and significantly more expensive.—
David Goldman,
CNN,
11 Feb. 2025
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The only thing that could make persuading a group of pandemic skeptics to care about an infectious-disease outbreak more difficult is your boss—the president of the United States—undercutting your raison d’être.—
Nicholas Florko,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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But Kirby and Danielle said the past year has been incredibly challenging.—
Samantha Moilanen,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Feb. 2025
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His back nine was particularly challenging as the weather conditions deteriorated, resulting in one bogey and no birdies.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Using rigorous logical frameworks and Turing-computable methods, BigGraph ensures trustworthy, adaptable outcomes that align with business needs.—
Jason Phillips,
USA TODAY,
15 Feb. 2025
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As more states legalize cannabis for medical use, there is a growing demand for rigorous scientific studies to validate its efficacy and safety.—
Tribune Content Agency,
The Mercury News,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Both are now promising to stand up to Trump and make tough decisions to make Canada more resilient.—
Stephen Maher,
TIME,
15 Feb. 2025
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His positioning and angles are second to none, making tough saves look easy on a nightly basis in the NHL.—
Jesse Granger,
The Athletic,
15 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Bridge benefit for older workers: Another key proposal is the creation of a bridge benefit for older workers with a history of physically demanding work.—
Justin Gest,
Newsweek,
11 Feb. 2025
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In July 2023, Kidman told PEOPLE that production for Lioness is a demanding but gratifying process.—
Catherine Santino,
People.com,
8 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Sandoval has received some pay bumps, including a temporary $10,000-a-year bonus for Hawaii special education teachers designed to alleviate shortages in that and other hard-to-staff areas.—
Alia Wong,
USA TODAY,
14 Feb. 2023
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Whether those numbers are an overstatement, or possibly an understatement, is hard to say.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes,
13 Feb. 2023
Thesaurus Entries Near effortful
Cite this Entry
“Effortful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/effortful. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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