1
as in tough
difficult to endure
had the onerous and stressful job of notifying the families of soldiers killed in action
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in challenging
requiring much time, effort, or careful attention
building the scale model of the frigate was an onerous task
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of onerous
But then the costs rise, the subscription tiers multiply and the terms and conditions become increasingly onerous.
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Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025
What Britain’s small businesses are facing, though, is a huge amount of very unwelcome uncertainty, which could affect their ability to trade with the U.S. even if the tariffs themselves are not seen as too onerous.
—Trevor Clawson, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Those packages are numerous and onerous for customs officials to scan for tariffs.
—David Goldman, CNN, 24 Mar. 2025
But the approach was slow, onerous and fundamentally ineffective.
—Nolan Hout, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for onerous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for onerous
Adjective
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Being a careless jackass but also irresistibly charming is a tough needle to thread.—
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Johnson has been on a winning streak this year with Trump in the White House and backing him repeatedly to muscle through a series of very tough votes on the slimmest of majorities.—
Adjective
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In this one-man show, Whitfield steps onstage not just as a performer, but as a guide—challenging, inspiring, and activating the ABFF community to transform their pain into purpose.—
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The new bill, advocates said, is also expected to be particularly challenging for Native Americans who rely on tribal cards for identification ‒ which typically don't include place of birth, as the new law requires.—
Adjective
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This garment gets exposed to harsher conditions than most clothing.—
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More precipitation in these locations could make up for the harsh cold season.—
Adjective
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Two of Elissa’s tumors were obliterated that day, but the third was too difficult to reach without repositioning Elissa’s body in a way that would have taken too much time under anesthesia.—
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Luca Solca sector head for global luxury goods at Bernstein Clouding the picture further, many other premium Swiss watchmakers including Rolex, Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet, are privately owned, making their performance difficult to decipher.—
Adjective
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That this sincere notion dovetails with an itch to vacate her dour, oppressive home only adds to her determination.—
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To be sure, Florida had its attractions, one of which was the sunny weather, although air conditioning was still rare at the time, and the heat and humidity could be oppressive for much of the year.—
Adjective
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Additionally, ensuring data accuracy and integrity within compliance features, especially for reporting and audit trails, can be technically demanding and prone to errors if not carefully managed.—
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Any number of left-leaning columnists at prestigious media outlets tried to bat down the rumors that Biden’s visible aging (as manifested both physically and mentally) was compromising his credibility as a viable candidate for perhaps the most demanding job in the world.—
Adjective
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Set in 2019 Los Angeles, Akil’s update paints a searing portrait of the issues faced by teenagers today, exploring the social media age and how, via the race-swapping of the leads, Black kids come of age in white America.—
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As one more analogous reference, the need to manage hows reminds me of great literature, in particular, Viktor Frankl’s searing memoir Man’s Search For Meaning.—
Adjective
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In Florida, however, schools say library opt-out and curriculum transparency laws have been burdensome because school staff members must catalog thousands of books and curriculum materials and post the details online.—
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Experts say most Medicaid beneficiaries are working, and work requirements force enrollees to complete burdensome paperwork requirements.—
Cite this Entry
“Onerous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/onerous. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
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