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
Over one thousand positions require Senate confirmation, an often-onerous and lengthy process.
—
Barbara Sprunt, NPR, 11 Sep. 2025
But in an Economist profile on the Arizona expansion, TSMC CFO Wendell Huang said he was surprised by America’s onerous and lengthy permitting process compared to that of Taiwan.
—Tiana Lowe Doescher, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
But that solution might prove onerous for physical game card players who want to avoid clogging up the limited 256GB of internal storage on the Switch 2 (and/or avoid investing in pricey MicroSD Express cards).
—Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 5 Sep. 2025
Many of its innovations require technology upgrades and new practices that the networks sometimes view as onerous or rickety.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for onerous
Barbara Sprunt, NPR, 11 Sep. 2025
But in an Economist profile on the Arizona expansion, TSMC CFO Wendell Huang said he was surprised by America’s onerous and lengthy permitting process compared to that of Taiwan.
—Tiana Lowe Doescher, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
But that solution might prove onerous for physical game card players who want to avoid clogging up the limited 256GB of internal storage on the Switch 2 (and/or avoid investing in pricey MicroSD Express cards).
—Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 5 Sep. 2025
Many of its innovations require technology upgrades and new practices that the networks sometimes view as onerous or rickety.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for onerous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for onerous
Adjective
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An editor approached me with a tough assignment of tasting, evaluating and reviewing a chicken Caesar wrap.—
Susan Selasky,
Freep.com,
27 Sep. 2025
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The news that Aleksander Barkov will all but assuredly miss all of the 2025-26 season after undergoing surgery on Friday to repair the ACL and MCL in right knee was tough for the Florida Panthers to hear.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
27 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The big story Immigration anxieties and a challenging job market have sparked an online backlash over China's latest attempt at attracting global talent — a new visa program announced in August.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
1 Oct. 2025
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His expertise could greatly benefit Ott, ahead of what is destined to be a challenging year in Phoenix.—
Alex Kirschenbaum,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The National Nuclear Security Administration funds the sensors, which undergo rigorous shock, vibration, thermal vacuum, and prompt X-ray testing to survive launch and the harsh space environment.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Sep. 2025
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Additionally, try not to use any harsh cleaners or a really abrasive solution that may damage the surface.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Abrego Garcia’s lawyers have argued that travel to Moshannon is far more difficult for members of the defense team based in Nashville, and not easier for those in New York.—
Christine Valora,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Sep. 2025
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Senator Collins has proven in the past to be able to win in very difficult environments, 2008 being an example of that.—
Andrew Stanton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Joy speaks at length about growing up in a culturally sophisticated yet oppressive family and holding her artistic temperament in check, before achieving a belated liberation.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
26 Sep. 2025
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The oppressive regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran has kept her away.—
Kamal Morgan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The week before was so demanding with Manchester United, Napoli, and especially Arsenal.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
30 Sep. 2025
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Leaf raking is more eco-friendly as well as more physically demanding and time-consuming.—
Luke Miller,
Better Homes & Gardens,
28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The Dutch oven will get ripping hot for searing, but also insulate the braise, holding in much of the moisture and producing tender, fall-off-the-bone meat.—
Emily Johnson,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
22 Sep. 2025
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Components like the cladding and divertor inside a reactor face constant stress from searing plasma and radiation.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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This approach could also help delay the need for hormone therapy, which can have burdensome side effects.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
2 Oct. 2025
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No one wants burdensome processes to stand in the way of reducing wildfire damage.—
Tony Cheng,
Space.com,
24 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Onerous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/onerous. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
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