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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of onerous
But the attack on Iran has made those old sticking points — such as the U.S. negotiating team’s demand that North Korea submit a full list of its nuclear sites — even more onerous, said Lee Byong-chul, a nonproliferation expert who has served under two South Korean administrations.
—
Max Kim, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2025
Sterilizing bottles in a giant pot of boiling water is an onerous process, one that few parents of young babies want to undertake at the end of a long day.
—Olivia Campbell, Parents, 24 June 2025
In addition to requiring an onerous 12-week run, the terms of the distribution deal gave Universal 90 percent of the box office revenue.
—Nick Woltman, Twin Cities, 20 June 2025
To the degree that the United States and others have an interest in balancing Chinese power, India expects their support without having to make any onerous compromises to secure such assistance.
—Ashley J. Tellis, Foreign Affairs, 17 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for onerous
Max Kim, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2025
Sterilizing bottles in a giant pot of boiling water is an onerous process, one that few parents of young babies want to undertake at the end of a long day.
—Olivia Campbell, Parents, 24 June 2025
In addition to requiring an onerous 12-week run, the terms of the distribution deal gave Universal 90 percent of the box office revenue.
—Nick Woltman, Twin Cities, 20 June 2025
To the degree that the United States and others have an interest in balancing Chinese power, India expects their support without having to make any onerous compromises to secure such assistance.
—Ashley J. Tellis, Foreign Affairs, 17 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for onerous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for onerous
Adjective
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Morton, 43, may take that advice under serious consideration, mentioning how tough the fans – and even fellow cast members – have been on her following this past season’s cast trip to Grenada.—
John Lawson,
Essence,
9 July 2025
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But after rookie third baseman Ronny Mauricio made an exceptionally tough double play to end a two-on, one-out threat in the bottom of the eighth, there was no way the Mets were losing.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
9 July 2025
Adjective
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The producer said getting his hands on an original copy of the Carter song on LP proved challenging, and expensive, signaling a cult following for such music.—
Miles Socha,
Footwear News,
9 July 2025
-
Gap Easy Trousers Finding summer work pants that are both breathable and stylish can be challenging, but these petite Easy Trousers from Gap fit the bill perfectly.—
Melony Forcier,
Travel + Leisure,
9 July 2025
Adjective
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Unlike harsher retinoids, this one is gentle enough for sensitive skin.—
Simon Hill,
Wired News,
10 July 2025
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The mask fully blocks out the harsh cabin lighting and that inevitable sunrise glow before landing.—
Samantha Leal,
Travel + Leisure,
10 July 2025
Adjective
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James is playing the final year of his contract at $52.6 million, which is a very difficult number for teams to pay.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 July 2025
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Our models and expertise can sniff out the broad parameters, but the precise location and timing of moisture plumes, training (quasi-stationary rain cells), and forcing mechanism can be difficult.—
Marshall Shepherd,
Forbes.com,
5 July 2025
Adjective
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Since seizing control of Afghanistan in August 2021, the group has implemented a string of oppressive measures against women and girls, even cracking down on the sound of women’s voices in public.—
Catherine Nicholls,
CNN Money,
8 July 2025
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Others reject the portrayal of federal actions as oppressive, suggesting deployments like those in Los Angeles prioritize national security and immigration enforcement.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 July 2025
Adjective
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Once upon a time, the leadership style of a college coach was simple: intense, demanding, rigid, focused on detail and motivating with more stick than carrot.—
Rustin Dodd,
New York Times,
8 July 2025
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These jobs are highly demanding, but they are considered part-time under the city charter.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
8 July 2025
Adjective
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Netflix continues to expand its reality TV universe, with The Ultimatum franchise returning for another searing test of love and commitment.—
Allison DeGrushe Published,
EW.com,
2 July 2025
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Football is certainly another, which is why rapper Kendrick Lamar’s willingness to hold a mirror to America during his Super Bowl halftime performance was so searing in its power.—
Andrea Williams,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
Adjective
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But whether because of language barriers, physical or cognitive disability, lack of internet or phone, or job instability, for all of these patients, overcoming additional bureaucratic barriers would be burdensome at best.—
Lindsay Ryan,
The Atlantic,
5 July 2025
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Prior approval for fire training at an open burn: IDEM says fire departments requesting prior approval to train with an open burn is burdensome and recommends removing this requirement.—
Karl Schneider,
IndyStar,
3 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Onerous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/onerous. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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