Synonyms of onerous

onerous

adjective

ˈä-nə-rəs 

1

as in tough

difficult to endure

had the onerous and stressful job of notifying the families of soldiers killed in action

Synonyms & Similar Words

• tough
• harsh
• oppressive
• searing
• hard
• severe
• brutal
• rough
• burdensome
• trying
• cruel
• heavy
• grim
• painful
• excruciating
• inhuman
• murderous
• grievous
• rugged
• bitter
• bleak
• stiff
• uncomfortable
• unpleasant
• strict
• unbearable
• rigorous
• hardhanded
• stringent
• forbidding
• inhospitable
• overwhelming
• austere
• bad
• spartan
• discomforting
• agonizing
• inclement
• intemperate
• intolerable
• comfortless
• crushing
• unendurable
• tortuous
• biting
• insufferable
• wild
• disagreeable
• wretched
• hostile
• insupportable
• harrowing
• heartbreaking
• grinding
• unfriendly
• wearing
• heartrending

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• easy
• light
• soft
• comfortable
• pleasant
• luxurious
• agreeable
• friendly
• cozy
• hospitable
• genial
• peaceful
• tolerable
• restful
• relaxing
• moderate
• painless
• mild
• bearable
• gentle
• snug
• calm
• temperate
• endurable
• reposeful
• balmy
• clement

2

as in challenging

requiring much time, effort, or careful attention

building the scale model of the frigate was an onerous task

Synonyms & Similar Words

• challenging
• difficult
• demanding
• burdensome
• arduous
• laborious
• tough
• exacting
• hard
• grueling
• taxing
• gruelling
• toilsome
• killing
• formidable
• strenuous
• persnickety
• oppressive
• testing
• rigorous
• stringent
• herculean
• severe
• stiff
• strict
• rough
• rigid
• trying
• rugged
• stern

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• light
• undemanding
• easy
• simple
• unchallenging
• smooth
• effortless
• facile
• nondemanding

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective onerous contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of onerous are burdensome, exacting, and oppressive. While all these words mean "imposing hardship," onerous stresses being laborious and heavy especially because distasteful.

the onerous task of cleaning up the mess

In what contexts can burdensome take the place of onerous?

The synonyms burdensome and onerous are sometimes interchangeable, but burdensome suggests causing mental as well as physical strain.

burdensome responsibilities

Where would exacting be a reasonable alternative to onerous?

While the synonyms exacting and onerous are close in meaning, exacting implies rigor or sternness rather than tyranny or injustice in the demands made or in the one demanding.

an exacting employer

When might oppressive be a better fit than onerous?

In some situations, the words oppressive and onerous are roughly equivalent. However, oppressive implies extreme harshness or severity in what is imposed.

the oppressive tyranny of a police state

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of onerous

Living in an ice sheet was not as harsh, or as onerous, as Weiss had initially feared. —Katie Hunt, CNN, 15 Mar. 2025

The punishments were rated on a five-tier scale, five being the most onerous; a Tier 2 might require a guy to hang a poster of the winner’s face on his wall for a year. —Nick Paumgarten, The New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2025

Welfare benefit assessments are often an onerous and somewhat frightening experience for many with disabilities and so a reduction in the number of these to be endured would be welcome. —Gus Alexiou, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025

The whole process of applying for grants is a lengthy, onerous one, usually taking at least a year from the time the grant proposal is submitted till it being awarded, assuming that the proposal is part of the lucky 10% or less that successfully gets funded. —Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2025

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