1
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
climbing Mount Everest is an arduous, exhausting challenge
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
This comes as major pharmaceutical giants like Eli Lilly and AstraZeneca are also experimenting with how AI can significantly reduce the arduous process of drug discovery and development.
—
Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 29 Sep. 2025
Again, rescuers were hampered by arduous winter conditions, including cold temperatures, snow, and difficult terrain within the Rawah Wilderness.
—David Chiu, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2025
Rebuilding after California fires has long been an arduous process — in Malibu, only about 40% of the 488 homes that burned in the 2018 Woolsey Fire have completed reconstruction.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025
Once true fall arrives, though, we’ll soon be met with the quintessential (yet arduous) autumnal task of raking leaves.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for arduous
Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 29 Sep. 2025
Again, rescuers were hampered by arduous winter conditions, including cold temperatures, snow, and difficult terrain within the Rawah Wilderness.
—David Chiu, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2025
Rebuilding after California fires has long been an arduous process — in Malibu, only about 40% of the 488 homes that burned in the 2018 Woolsey Fire have completed reconstruction.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025
Once true fall arrives, though, we’ll soon be met with the quintessential (yet arduous) autumnal task of raking leaves.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for arduous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arduous
Adjective
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For once, the bulk of the anger was directed not at Fosun — the investment group and majority shareholder – and the Molineux hierarchy who have conspired to deal Pereira a difficult hand, but at the head coach himself and his players.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
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Romancelandia’s social world, harnessed by its business-minded authors, may make its success exceedingly difficult to replicate.—
Rebecca Ackermann,
The Atlantic,
5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Meanwhile, my nephew, who’s 7, is down for a more challenging build like the Star Wars Paz Vizsla and Moff Gideon Battle set, which is currently $23 off.—
Anja Webb,
Parents,
7 Oct. 2025
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Taking the creative helm of Chanel as only the fourth artistic director to ever lead the house, Blazy has been entrusted with one of the biggest and most sought-after — although perhaps not the most challenging — jobs in fashion.—
Fiona Sinclair Scott,
CNN Money,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Lammens was perhaps fortunate to escape sanction then (Stuart Atwell booked the forward for diving), but this was a valuable occasion ahead of tougher tests, beginning at Anfield.—
Laurie Whitwell,
New York Times,
5 Oct. 2025
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There will be some tough picking in there, but typically the predicting business gets a little easier in region play.—
Tyler Palmateer,
Nashville Tennessean,
4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The players are afforded down time, however, and this first week will be nowhere near as demanding as an in-season training week.—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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This division of labor reportedly reduces one of the most physically demanding aspects of solar farm construction.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The coins will undergo a rigorous conservation process before being given to local museums for public display, according to the company.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
4 Oct. 2025
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During a recent appearance on Vulture’s Good One podcast, the standup recalled prepping for the rigorous audition process for a year while doing improv and working day jobs in Chicago.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Before referrals were halted, the effort that placed people at the Civic had already moved hard-to-reach homeless people from the street to a shelter space and, in many cases, then on to long-term housing and stability.—
Ashley Hiruko,
ProPublica,
6 Oct. 2025
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Whether the Jedi mind trick played a role Sunday is hard to quantify, but the message was obvious.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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If the past offers any guide, however, Havana will instead continue to rely on its formidable security apparatus to repress is citizens, while privatizing in ways that do not threaten the power and privileges of the elite.—
Joseph J. Gonzalez,
The Conversation,
3 Oct. 2025
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The West will be formidable, as multiple teams could make their mark this season.—
Ricardo Klein,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Arduous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arduous. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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