herculean

adjective

ˌhər-kyə-ˈlē-ən How to pronounce herculean (audio)
Definition of herculeannext
1
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort the herculean task of grading 60 student essays over one weekend

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in enormous
unusually large a herculean banquet table that took eight men to lift it

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of herculean The task of containing Pennsylvania’s measles outbreak would have been herculean in any circumstance. — Amesh Adalja, Washington Post, 11 Sep. 2026 George Lucas, for his part, has suggested that bringing the Lucas Museum to fruition—a project beset by delays and controversy that has taken nearly a decade to realize—was a herculean effort. — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 3 Sep. 2026 The herculean effort For residents in a small community known as Rainbow Hill, the outlook is dire. — Megan Schrader, Denver Post, 27 Aug. 2026 The novel caught on slowly through word of mouth, aided by the herculean efforts of his niece Aron Ritchie, who found ways to increase the book’s visibility. — Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 19 Aug. 2026 Even the herculean efforts to acquire capabilities for the conflict with Iran largely amounted to a collection of waivers, special actions, and brute-force leadership. — Doug Beck, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026 Viewed through a 2026 lens, this now antiquated process seems like a herculean undertaking, one that somehow worked. — Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026 Republicans started laying the groundwork for the herculean task of flipping Michigan the day after Rogers lost to Slotkin. — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 6 Aug. 2026 The commission’s remit amounts to a herculean task for the future. — Taylor Luck, Christian Science Monitor, 4 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for herculean
  1. difficult
  2. enormous
  3. challenging
  4. huge
  5. tough
  6. tremendous
  7. formidable
  8. gigantic
Adjective
  • Finding people at high risk of incubating the Bundibugyo virus, also known as contact tracing, has proved difficult in Congo.
    — CONSTANT SAME BAGALWA, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
  • McKinsey’s data says some of those moves can be difficult for certain workers.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of difficult
Adjective
  • That creates an enormous range of possible eclipse trips, from the Mediterranean coast and the mountains of southern Spain to historic cities, archaeological sites and desert landscapes across North Africa.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 3 Oct. 2026
  • PewDiePie argues that users do not necessarily need an enormous model for everyday agentic tasks.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of enormous
Adjective
  • Until now, scientists could measure the total phosphorus preserved in ancient rocks, but determining the share that was actually available to marine life remained challenging.
    — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Alas, its path appears quite challenging, given that Digger earned a C+ CinemaScore from audiences and holds a 51 percent approval from reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes.
    — Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of challenging
Adjective
  • Thorton had the first two-touchdown game of his career and made the huge catch to set up the go-ahead touchdown before the injury.
    — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 5 Oct. 2026
  • This deprived the treasurers of huge assets that otherwise could have been invested to generate billions of dollars for the pensions — a gap present-day taxpayers must fill.
    — Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of huge
Adjective
  • Now, Germino says her social media presence is all about giving other patients going through the same tough decision an example of someone who’s thriving after the procedure.
    — Kara McGrath, Allure, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu's administration is about to start tough budget negotiations against a backdrop of division and economic turmoil.
    — Chloe Taylor,Jenni Reid, CNBC, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of tough
Adjective
  • Both execs are well-liked and respected, and both boast tremendous domains, consisting of both studios and networks.
    — Michael Schneider, Variety, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Diamonds are crystallized under tremendous pressure and heat deep inside the Earth and then thrust to the surface through volcanic activity before they’re scattered by water or wind.
    — LAURA TURBAY, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of tremendous
Adjective
  • Guests lingered over cocktails, lauding Ghesquière’s formidable creative prowess, personal warmth and loyalty.
    — Miles Socha, Footwear News, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Let a Hundred Websites Bloom The Internet and the smartphone have become formidable tools for the Chinese government to maintain tight control over society.
    — Conor Heffernan, The New York Review of Books, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of formidable
Adjective
  • Or Mitch Moreland hits a gigantic late-inning homer in game four of a World Series game to make that series 3-1 instead of 2-2.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Still, a gigantic price target hike to $1,000 from $796 prior, representing 35% upside.
    — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of gigantic

Browse Nearby Words

herbs
herculean
herd
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Cite this Entry

“Herculean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/herculean. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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