onerous

[on-er-uhs, oh-ner-] / ˈɒn ər əs, ˈoʊ nər- /

ADJECTIVE

difficult; requiring hard labor

Synonyms

STRONGEST

arduous backbreaking burdensome cumbersome demanding difficult distressing excessive exhausting grueling harsh intolerable laborious oppressive painful rigorous severe strenuous taxing troublesome weighty

WEAK

austere crushing embittering exacting exigent fatiguing formidable galling grave grinding hard headache heavy irksome merciless overpowering overtaxing plodding ponderous pressing responsible serious tiresome tiring toilsome vexatious

Antonyms

STRONGEST

calm easy effortless facile friendly gentle helpful mild nice simple trivial

WEAK

light

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Recovering money after the fact is so much more onerous than intervening while it’s happening.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 30, 2026

This could include making staff redundant, or negotiating with landlords to lessen the burden of "onerous contracts".

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026

There are also growing hopes that regulators in Washington will relax the most onerous of bank capital requirements that had been instituted since the 2008-09 financial crisis.

From Barron's • Mar. 19, 2026

For farmers, higher fertilizer prices add to the stress felt in their budget from onerous input costs, needing higher commodity prices to make farming profitable.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026

This apparatus displayed Rutherford’s hallmark simplicity and style, but the procedure was unspeakably onerous.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

onerous

Example Sentences

Related Words