ONEROUS Synonyms: 109 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

onerous

adjective

ˈä-nə-rəs

Definition of onerous

as in tough

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in challenging

requiring much time, effort, or careful attention building the scale model of the frigate was an onerous task

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of onerous This isn’t ideal, considering the onerous repeater tax that’s triggered when a team crosses the luxury-tax threshold in four straight seasons or four times during a five-season period. — Anthony Chiang june 23, Miami Herald, 23 June 2026 State lawmakers have stepped back from earlier, wider-ranging attempts to regulate AI that were vetoed or otherwise derailed by governors who viewed the measures as too onerous toward the industry’s development, including efforts to hold developers accountable for bias in AI systems. — Marc Levy, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2026 The new bundle should help the two mid-tier services pool catalogues and blunt churn while minimizing the onerous cost of trying to compete on spending with the global giants. — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 17 June 2026 The least expensive but most onerous way to get there is to take a combination of trains and buses. — Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 14 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for onerous

Recent Examples of Synonyms for onerous

Adjective

The talks are meant to focus on the toughest matters, including fully reopening the strait and rolling back Tehran’s disputed nuclear program.

— Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
Patrick Cantlay made a little noise in an otherwise quiet year for the American with five birdies in 10 holes and then a collection of tough par saves at the end that felt just as valuable.

— ABC News, ABC News, 9 July 2026

Definition of tough

Adjective

White settlers and frontier pioneers built vast, fenceless cattle stations, battling harsh environments and disease, embracing a hard-living culture that exists to this day.

— Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 5 July 2026
Dish Soap Using harsh chemicals on the outside of your toilet bowl and fixtures is not recommended, according to Meagher.

— Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 4 July 2026

Definition of harsh

Adjective

Sarah Buck, Chicago Driving has become harder The rapid increase in bike lanes has made driving much more difficult and tedious, with numerous delays due to many streets being reduced to one lane in busy areas.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
Republican strategists have welcomed those nominations as an opening for attack in a difficult election year.

— Susan Page, USA Today, 5 July 2026

Definition of difficult

Adjective

In addition to facing each other, the Norway and England players will also have to battle oppressive heat and humidity on Saturday.

— Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 11 July 2026
Rents in Rhode Island are particularly oppressive, with the average for a three-bedroom home costing nearly 30% of median income.

— Scott Cohn, CNBC, 10 July 2026

Definition of oppressive

Adjective

Building a paper airplane can be as demanding as building the airframe of a real aircraft.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 3 July 2026
Once the evaluation process is complete, the company plans to scale production to thousands of units over the next three years, targeting manufacturers seeking to automate physically demanding and hazardous work.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 3 July 2026

Definition of demanding

Adjective

From searing heat waves to regulatory rollbacks, sustainability is a tough topic for global leaders.

— Diane Brady, Fortune, 9 July 2026
Set the scene With a prime position on the shores of Lake Constance at the confluence of Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Liechtenstein, Buff Medical Resort is a brand new beast with searing ambition.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 July 2026

Definition of searing

Adjective

Immigrants detained at two federal facilities in California have launched a boycott in protest of increasing and, in their view, burdensome prices at the facilities’ commissaries for items including tampons, coffee and soup.

— Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Rolling back Obamacare’s most burdensome mandates would allow insurers to offer more affordable and tailored coverage options.

— Sally Pipes, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026

Definition of burdensome

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one-on-one

onerous

ones

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“Onerous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/onerous. Accessed 11 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of onerous

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