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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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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Recent Examples of onerous
As currently constructed, the 2025-26 Celtics are on track to be the most expensive team in NBA history, costing close to $500 million between player salaries and onerous luxury tax penalties.
—
Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 13 May 2025
The Windows 11 system requirements aren't too onerous.
—Justin Pot, Wired News, 9 May 2025
As the flight of entertainment production work from California accelerates, Los Angeles’ film permitting process has come under fire from local advocates as overly onerous and expensive, adding to the cocktail of reasons why productions might leave the state for their shoots.
—Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 29 Apr. 2025
In 2024, Amazon did just that by holding an event in lower Manhattan that started later than expected, making the trek for a Univision spotlight in midtown more onerous.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 11 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for onerous
Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 13 May 2025
The Windows 11 system requirements aren't too onerous.
—Justin Pot, Wired News, 9 May 2025
As the flight of entertainment production work from California accelerates, Los Angeles’ film permitting process has come under fire from local advocates as overly onerous and expensive, adding to the cocktail of reasons why productions might leave the state for their shoots.
—Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 29 Apr. 2025
In 2024, Amazon did just that by holding an event in lower Manhattan that started later than expected, making the trek for a Univision spotlight in midtown more onerous.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 11 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for onerous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for onerous
Adjective
-
That’s really tough to stop from turning into scoring opportunities for the opponent.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
-
Dapple Baby takes this task very seriously, offering a fragrance-free formula that’s tough on stains yet gentle on newborn skin.—
Pamela Brill,
Parents,
22 May 2025
Adjective
-
However, this challenging situation also presents an opportunity for businesses.—
Kendra Davenport,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
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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.—
DeMicia Inman,
VIBE.com,
22 May 2025
Adjective
-
In fact, all forms of Persian rap — from street rap and gangsta to philosophical and social hip-hop — were used in the service of protest, with many works accompanied by heavy beats, dark atmospheres, and harsh narrative styles.—
Ali Farahmand,
IndieWire,
23 May 2025
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Padilla had harsh comments for the president and the GOP in a statement Thursday after the House vote.—
David Lightman,
Sacbee.com,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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But the fact that Schwartzman, in his first film, was given the difficult task of stealing laughs away from a comedy legend, and so often succeeds in doing so, gives him the slight edge.—
Shannon Carlin,
Time,
30 May 2025
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Shaving requires removing the end cap of a bat, which can be difficult to do, and shaving down or thinning out the inner wall of the barrel.—
Ralph D. Russo,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
Adjective
-
Contracts of adhesion are sometimes seen as oppressive, especially in the consumer context, but courts often regard them as enforceable.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
20 May 2025
-
The United States held Qaddafi’s Libya up as a success story in the global war on terror, a former rogue state that had made amends for its murderous past, relinquished its nuclear-weapons program and reoriented its oppressive state apparatus around American foreign-policy priorities.—
Henry Leutwyler Robert Petkoff Emma Kehlbeck Quinton Kamara,
New York Times,
20 May 2025
Adjective
-
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.—
Suresh Kannan,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
-
That, plus more demanding processors, higher burst rates, and video modes, means mirrorless cameras get less battery life than DSLRs.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
20 May 2025
Adjective
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Peña said that because the physical changes to the third floor will be minimal, the new flea market should be open in the next couple of weeks — just in time to avoid Miami’s searing summer heat and sudden thunderstorms.—
Connie Ogle,
Miami Herald,
21 May 2025
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Pyroclastic clouds, or a dense mixture of ash, gas and rock dispersed during a volcanic eruption, caused a searing, rapid avalanche of debris to fill the home, Zuchtriegel said.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
17 May 2025
Adjective
-
Trump's legal team argued that Biden had unlawfully granted mass parole and that individual case reviews would be too burdensome for immigration authorities.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 May 2025
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California is notorious for its burdensome regulations and difficult business climate, and its treatment of the insurance industry is no different.—
Adam B. Summers,
Oc Register,
30 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Onerous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/onerous. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
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