1
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
climbing Mount Everest is an arduous, exhausting challenge
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2
as in challenging
requiring much time, effort, or careful attention
the arduous task of doing the research for my term paper
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Recent Examples of arduous
Rebuilding will be long and arduous.
—
Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 20 Oct. 2025
After all, acting is a complicated, arduous discipline that shouldn’t be reduced to easy laughs drawn from a few seconds of film played on a loop.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 18 Oct. 2025
Due to the Jenga-like tower of precarious issues, the act of parenting becomes more arduous and challenging for Linda — a chore even.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025
Barnwell argues that surrendering second- and fourth-round picks, while getting both Hendrickson and Phillips, is not an arduous price for the Lions to pay as a team with Super Bowl aspirations.
—Josh Buckhalter, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for arduous
Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 20 Oct. 2025
After all, acting is a complicated, arduous discipline that shouldn’t be reduced to easy laughs drawn from a few seconds of film played on a loop.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 18 Oct. 2025
Due to the Jenga-like tower of precarious issues, the act of parenting becomes more arduous and challenging for Linda — a chore even.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025
Barnwell argues that surrendering second- and fourth-round picks, while getting both Hendrickson and Phillips, is not an arduous price for the Lions to pay as a team with Super Bowl aspirations.
—Josh Buckhalter, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for arduous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arduous
Adjective
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One of the world’s most persistent waste problems, plastics are durable and difficult to recycle.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Oct. 2025
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But grass is difficult to digest for the mammal.—
Craig Shoup,
Nashville Tennessean,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The stalemate over funding in Washington comes at a challenging time for the more than 40 million Americans carrying education debt.—
Annie Nova,
CNBC,
21 Oct. 2025
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According to construction manager John Kearns, the oceans swells became too challenging, moving the barge too much for the crane to operate safely.—
Ashley Miznazi,
Miami Herald,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Whether or not Takaichi's administration is as tough on immigration issues as her campaign rhetoric suggests, some observers warn that failing to actively invest in and integrate foreign nationals into society will have lasting harm on Asia’s second-largest economy.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
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Without a consolidation of that vote in the final stretch, Mamdani appears tough to beat.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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As the founder and CEO of Shondaland – a media empire behind hits like Scandal, Inventing Anna Bridgerton and more – Rhimes balances intense storytelling with the equally demanding role of being a mother of three.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
18 Oct. 2025
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Thank you for your demanding, lyrical, and sensual body of work, and for your fidelity to the light itself.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The discovery of the solar cycle now moved Carrington to undertake a rigorous study of sunspots that soon earned him a reputation as Britain’s premier solar observer.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
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Public markets offer transparency, governance, and liquidity; private firms, by contrast, often avoid periodic reporting and undergo less rigorous oversight.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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But competing with Swift is basically impossible for anyone, which makes this report a little hard to believe.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
26 Oct. 2025
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Potato plants can survive a light freeze, but a hard freeze below 30 degrees will kill them off.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Mesidor has formed a formidable one-two punch on the Hurricanes’ defensive line with Rueben Bain Jr.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
25 Oct. 2025
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Jazz In recent years, the pianist Vijay Iyer and the drummer Tyshawn Sorey, defining composers and leaders of contemporary jazz, have become one of its most formidable pairings.—
Hilton Als,
New Yorker,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Arduous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arduous. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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