Grunt Work

Pronunciation: /ɡrʌnt wɜrk/

Definitions of grunt work

noun a menial or tedious task, especially one that involves physical labor

Example Sentences

A1 I don't mind doing the grunt work like sweeping the floors.

A2 Interns are often given the grunt work tasks in the office.

B1 The new employee was eager to prove himself and took on all the grunt work without complaint.

B2 The grunt work of data entry can be tedious but is essential for the project.

C1 Delegating the grunt work to junior staff allows senior employees to focus on more strategic tasks.

C2 The CEO started his career doing grunt work in the mailroom before working his way up to the top.

Examples of grunt work in a Sentence

formal The interns were assigned to do the grunt work of data entry and filing.

informal I don't mind doing the grunt work around the office, it keeps me busy.

slang I hate doing all the grunt work, it's so boring.

figurative In order to reach success, sometimes you have to do the grunt work first.

Grammatical Forms of grunt work

• past tense: grunted
• plural: grunt works
• comparative: more grunt work
• superlative: most grunt work
• present tense: grunt work
• future tense: will grunt work
• perfect tense: has grunted work
• continuous tense: is grunt working
• singular: grunt work
• positive degree: grunt work
• infinitive: to grunt work
• gerund: grunt working
• participle: grunting

Origin and Evolution of grunt work

First Known Use: 1960 year

Language of Origin: English

Story behind the word: The term 'grunt work' originated from the military, where soldiers performing menial and laborious tasks would make grunting sounds due to the physical effort involved.

Evolution of the word: Over time, 'grunt work' has evolved to refer to any tedious or unskilled labor, not just limited to military tasks. It has also taken on a more figurative meaning in various industries to describe mundane or repetitive tasks.