Could you tell me a suitable synonym for 'hard' and 'harder' in this sentence?

[learning54]

Hi teachers,
Could you tell me a suitable synonym for 'hard' and 'harder' in the following sentence?
He has to work hard — harder than the excavator operators.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Chicken Sandwich]

NOT A TEACHER

How about "diligent"?

 

[learning54]

NOT A TEACHER

How about "diligent"?

Hi,
Thank you for your reply. I think it should be 'diligently' in any case. Shouldn't it be an adverb?

L.

 

[emsr2d2]

I don't think that working diligently means the same as working hard. I can work diligently on a document but someone who works on a building site carrying bricks works hard.

 

[learning54]

I don't think that working diligently means the same as working hard. I can work diligently on a document but someone who works on a building site carrying bricks works hard.

Hi,
Thank you for your reply.
That's why I've asked. There are quite a few synonyms for 'hard'. I just don't know which one to use in this context.

L.

 

[bhaisahab]

Hi,
Thank you for your reply.
That's why I've asked. There are quite a few synonyms for 'hard'. I just don't know which one to use in this context.

L.

In that context there isn't a satisfactory synonym.

 

[learning54]

In that context there isn't a satisfactory synonym.

Hi,
Thank you for your reply.
How about:
a) 'hard', with effort.
b) 'harder', with more effort.

Do you agree?

L.

 

[Barb_D]

No, I think you're talking about how difficult the labor is.

Someone might have to put more effort into something that they are unskilled at, so the task is harder for that person, but not hard in the grand scheme of life.

I am not very handy. Making a nail go in straight, or getting a screw to fasten in all the way without going cockeyed (or falling on the floor three times) requires a lot of effort from me. You might be able to do either of those tasks with almost no effort at all. Even so, I would never say that screwing in a bracket was "hard." Carrying all the lumber up the stairs is hard work.