backbreaking
Adjective
Of work, very physically tiring.
Usage- Figurative
- Examples
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More examples (1)
A few keen enginemen, such as Driver Rosewarne of York, could coax good work out of them when engaged in heavy East Coast express service, but to most footplate crews, especially firemen, they were rather heartbreaking and backbreaking machines, and gradually were relegated to secondary or fast goods duties.
Ahead [...] each woman is stooped beneath a backbreaking load of firewood.
Adjective
characterized by effort to the point of exhaustion; especially physical effort
- Examples
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worked their arduous way up the mining valley
a grueling campaign
More examples (5)
hard labor
heavy work
heavy going
spent many laborious hours on the project
set a punishing pace
Word forms
more backbreakingmost backbreakingback-breaking