Phrasal verb
grind on
Definition
phrasal verb. to continue for a long time in a way that is boring, slow, or annoying.
phrasal verb. to proceed in a tedious, protracted, or relentless manner; often used to describe events, processes, or time periods that lack excitement or resolution.
Examples
“The meeting grinds on for hours without a break.”
“As the legal battle grinds on, both families are becoming exhausted by the rising costs and stress.”
“The winter grinds on with relentless grey skies and freezing winds, testing the patience of even the most resilient residents.”
Examples
simple
“The meeting grinds on for hours without a break.”
contextual
“As the legal battle grinds on, both families are becoming exhausted by the rising costs and stress.”
complex
“The winter grinds on with relentless grey skies and freezing winds, testing the patience of even the most resilient residents.”
Usage
usually used with subjects like 'war', 'meeting', 'process', or 'winter' to emphasize boredom or difficulty.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'carry on' (neutral) or 'drag on' (similar, but 'grind on' implies a harsher, more mechanical or wearing quality); use the image of gears grinding to anchor the meaning.
Pitfall
The war grinds on us.
The war grinds on.
in this sense, 'grind on' is usually intransitive; if you want to say it affects someone, use 'grind someone down'.
Phrasal verb
Particles
on
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
grind + on
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/grind-on