Anstrengender

Anstrengender is the comparative form of the German adjective anstrengend, meaning exhausting or strenuous. It is used to compare the level of effort, difficulty, or fatigue involved in tasks, days, or experiences.

In usage, anstrengend describes something that requires substantial effort, either physically or mentally. It is declined like a typical German adjective and appears with different determiners and endings: der anstrengende Tag (masculine, definite article); ein anstrengender Tag (indefinite); die anstrengende Prüfung (feminine); das anstrengende Training (neuter). The comparative form is anstrengender, as in Der Weg ist anstrengender als der Aufstieg. The superlative is am anstrengendsten or der anstrengendste Tag der Reise, depending on the construction.

Etymology and related terms: anstrengend derives from the verb anstrengen, meaning to strain or exert oneself, with the suffix -end forming an adjective. Related nouns include Anstrengung (exertion, effort) and related adjectives such as ermüdend (tiresome), kräftezehrend (energy-consuming), and belastend (burdensome).

Usage notes: In formal writing, more precise terms may be appropriate, such as fordernd (demanding) or belastend (burdensome), depending on the context. In everyday language, anstrengender is frequently used to express that something is more trying or demanding than another thing. Examples include Arbeitsalltag, sportliche Trainingseinheiten oder Prüfungen, die als besonders anstrengend empfunden werden.