burdensome

adjective

bur·​den·​some ˈbər-dᵊn-səm 

: imposing or constituting a burden : oppressive

burdensome restrictions

Synonyms of burdensome

• oppressive
• harsh
• tough
• searing
• hard
• severe
• brutal
• rough
• onerous
• cruel

Choose the Right Synonym for burdensome

onerous, burdensome, oppressive, exacting mean imposing hardship.

onerous stresses being laborious and heavy especially because distasteful.

the onerous task of cleaning up the mess

burdensome suggests causing mental as well as physical strain.

burdensome responsibilities

oppressive implies extreme harshness or severity in what is imposed.

the oppressive tyranny of a police state

exacting implies rigor or sternness rather than tyranny or injustice in the demands made or in the one demanding.

an exacting employer

Examples of burdensome in a Sentence

The responsibility has become burdensome.

the burdensome living conditions that the early settlers had to endure

Recent Examples on the Web

Districts say transportation is one of their most burdensome costs with out-of-control growth. —State House News Service, Boston Herald, 15 Apr. 2026

Financial institutions have argued that implementation would be burdensome and costly, affecting not only their industry but potentially also small businesses and consumers. —Olivia Olander, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026

But in adapting the namesake short story by Manuel Gonzales into a 10-hour season of television, creators Jennifer Ames and Steve Turner have saddled this core conflict with unnecessary and burdensome extensions. —Alison Herman, Variety, 9 Apr. 2026

Hood and others see this as not just an attempt to right-size environmental rules that had become unnecessarily burdensome, but a massive chipping away at environmental safeguards that kept our public lands and waters relatively intact. —Christine Peterson, Outdoor Life, 8 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

burdensome

adjective

bur·​den·​some ˈbərd-ᵊn-səm 

: so heavy or hard to take as to be a burden

burdensomeness noun