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adj Uncommon

punishing

PUH-nih-shihng
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Punishing (adj) means Extremely harsh, demanding, or exhausting. Example: “They kept up a punishing training schedule before the Olympics.”

adj
1
Extremely harsh, demanding, or exhausting.
"They kept up a punishing training schedule before the Olympics."

How to use punishing

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishVery demanding or gruelling.

Common pairings
punishing schedule punishing pace punishing workout
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Word forms

Plural
punishings
Comparative
more punishing
Superlative
most punishing
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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

They kept up a _____ training schedule before the Olympics.

hard grueling operose laborious arduous gruelling heavy toilsome backbreaking

Antonyms

Related words

Rhymes for punishing

See all rhymes for punishing →

Frequently asked questions

What does “punishing” mean?
The word “punishing” means extremely harsh, demanding, or exhausting. In plain terms, very demanding or gruelling.
How do you pronounce “punishing”?
“Punishing” is pronounced PUH-nih-shihng (/ˈpʌnɪʃɪŋ/ in IPA).
How do you use “punishing” in a sentence?
Here is “punishing” used in a sentence: “They kept up a punishing training schedule before the Olympics.”
What part of speech is “punishing”?
“Punishing” is an adjective.
Is “punishing” a common word?
“Punishing” is an uncommon word in modern English.

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