the grind

Meanings

1. 1nounsingularinformal

   Daily hard work or a boring routine that feels never-ending.

   Grammar: Always used with 'the' and a singular verb: the grind is...

   Patterns

   • the daily grind
   • the grind of something
   • back to the grind

   After a relaxing vacation, it's hard to return to the daily grind.

   She enjoys the grind of training every morning.

2. 2nounsingularinformal

   A long, difficult period of study or work, especially one that feels exhausting.

   Grammar: Often used with 'of' to specify the activity: the grind of exams.

   Patterns

   • the grind of something
   • the grind of studying

   The grind of medical school left him little free time.

   He survived the grind of writing his thesis.

Common combinations

the daily grind

Many people complain about the daily grind of commuting.

back to the grind

The weekend is over, so it's back to the grind.

the grind of something

She found the grind of shift work exhausting.

Synonyms and how they differ

routine

Routine is neutral and simply means a regular way of doing things; the grind suggests the routine is tiring or unpleasant.

drudgery

Drudgery is more formal and emphasizes boring, menial work; the grind is informal and can also refer to intense training or study.

Word family

grind verb

To crush something into small pieces or to rub something harshly.

grinder noun

A machine or tool used for grinding.

Practice

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Write a sentence using “the grind”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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