Word
strenuous
Phoneticsstren·u·ous, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈstɹɛnjuəs/
UK/stɹˈɛnjuːəs/
Definition
adj. needing a lot of physical or mental effort. You use this to describe tasks that are very tiring or difficult.
adj. requiring or using great exertion or high intensity. Often describes physical activities or mental efforts that test the limits of one's stamina.
Examples
“The doctor told him to avoid strenuous exercise for a week.”
“After a strenuous day of hiking up the mountain, the group was exhausted but happy.”
“The legal team made a strenuous effort to overturn the verdict, citing several procedural errors that occurred during the initial trial.”
Examples
simple
“The doctor told him to avoid strenuous exercise for a week.”
contextual
“After a strenuous day of hiking up the mountain, the group was exhausted but happy.”
complex
“The legal team made a strenuous effort to overturn the verdict, citing several procedural errors that occurred during the initial trial.”
Usage
Commonly modifies nouns like 'exercise', 'effort', 'activity', or 'objection'.
Real-World Examples
“The result is a comedy without gags, a comedy which, for all the strenuous high-jinks, is afraid to be flippant or mean or, indeed, funny in any way.” “It was against the league champions, whose pre-season has involved far less strenuous travel than their own.” Etymology
From Latin strenuus (“quick”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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