1
as in oppressive
difficult to endure
the burdensome living conditions that the early settlers had to endure
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in challenging
requiring much time, effort, or careful attention
the burdensome task of finishing the tax return
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of burdensome
High taxes, increasing operational costs, worker shortages and a burdensome regulatory environment are adding fuel to the fire.
—
Javier Palomarez, Sacbee.com, 19 Dec. 2025
Thursday’s order largely resembles a draft seen by The Hill last month, directing administration officials to create a task force to challenge state AI laws and establish a policy to block broadband funding to states with laws deemed overly burdensome.
—Julia Manchester, The Hill, 14 Dec. 2025
The difficulty of navigating Diablo Canyon’s massive database makes the time-consuming process of license changes even more burdensome.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 12 Dec. 2025
Since 2020, consumer prices have climbed roughly 25 percent — progress compared with earlier spikes but still burdensome for many households.
—Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for burdensome
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burdensome
Adjective
-
The proud and courageous Iranian people are rising up against the tyrannical, despotic and oppressive regime that imposed its vicious rule in 1979 and has governed by fear and murder ever since.—
-
Their writing focuses on identity and the intersections of mental health and oppressive systems.—
Adjective
-
But last month, Critchfield backed off in the face of a challenging state budget.—
-
Depending on where in the country your family lives, winter can be a challenging time for kids who are cooped up inside amid the chillier weather.—
Adjective
-
Bipartisan harsh criticism Senators from both sides of the aisle blasted the investigation.—
-
Common exfoliators and fine line-eliminators like retinol and glycolic acid are too harsh on my skin, but this serum utilizes lactic acid, which is far more gentle but just as potent.—
Adjective
-
Jens generally chooses his words carefully, and is, what’s more, particularly reticent just after finishing a long and difficult winter delivery trip; what’s a person supposed to do with words in a blizzard anyway, up on a stormy heath and all directions lost?—
-
In his first start in the wake of Beau Pribula’s significant injury, Zollers walked into a difficult situation, and his stat line reflected it.—
Adjective
-
This leads to families having to make tough decisions, said Cindy Kincaid, family caregiver program manager at Centralina Regional Council.—
-
She's been amazing, a sort of brutal support, tough lover, very educational.—
Adjective
-
Philadelphia first tried the 24-year-old at center but eventually moved him to the wing, presumably because of his struggles in the faceoff circle (just 39 percent of draws won) and because the wing is a less demanding defensive position.—
-
Both must meet demanding performance standards, operate on efficient edge-compute systems, deliver provable safety, and scale in a commercially viable way.—
Adjective
-
Sophomore Golden Globes host Nikki Glaser, whose searing opening monologue had everyone from Leonardo DiCaprio to Julia Roberts taking jabs in stride.—
-
For the ceremony, Lawrence wore a searing red gown designed by Raf Simons during his stint at the house of Dior.—
Adjective
-
Explain the mechanism that Washington used to compel quarterback Demond Williams to return because the consequences were too onerous to ignore, like LSU losing out on $4 million in NIL for 2026 or however it’s phrased.—
-
The onerous covenants include, among others, restricting WBD’s ability to modify, renew or terminate affiliation agreements.—
Cite this Entry
“Burdensome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burdensome. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share