Synonyms of onerous

onerous

adjective

ˈä-nə-rəs 

1

as in tough

difficult to endure

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• tough
• harsh
• oppressive
• searing
• hard
• severe
• brutal
• rough
• burdensome
• trying
• cruel
• heavy
• grim
• painful
• excruciating
• inhuman
• murderous
• grievous
• rugged
• bitter
• bleak
• stiff
• uncomfortable
• unpleasant
• strict
• unbearable
• rigorous
• hardhanded
• stringent
• forbidding
• inhospitable
• overwhelming
• austere
• bad
• spartan
• discomforting
• agonizing
• inclement
• intemperate
• intolerable
• comfortless
• crushing
• unendurable
• tortuous
• biting
• insufferable
• wild
• disagreeable
• wretched
• hostile
• insupportable
• harrowing
• heartbreaking
• grinding
• unfriendly
• wearing
• heartrending

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• easy
• light
• soft
• comfortable
• pleasant
• luxurious
• agreeable
• friendly
• cozy
• hospitable
• genial
• peaceful
• tolerable
• restful
• relaxing
• moderate
• painless
• mild
• bearable
• gentle
• snug
• calm
• temperate
• endurable
• balmy
• reposeful
• clement

2

as in challenging

requiring much time, effort, or careful attention

building the scale model of the frigate was an onerous task

Synonyms & Similar Words

• challenging
• difficult
• demanding
• burdensome
• arduous
• tough
• laborious
• exacting
• hard
• grueling
• taxing
• toilsome
• killing
• formidable
• strenuous
• persnickety
• oppressive
• testing
• rigorous
• stringent
• herculean
• severe
• stiff
• strict
• rough
• trying
• rigid
• rugged
• stern

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• light
• undemanding
• easy
• simple
• unchallenging
• smooth
• effortless
• facile
• nondemanding

Synonym Chooser

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

Recent Examples of onerous

The contracts for Albert Pujols (10 years, $254 million), Josh Hamilton (five years, $125 million) and Anthony Rendon (seven years, $245 million) all proved onerous. — Andy McCullough, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026

Because this onerous and not very lucrative work is unappealing to younger generations, the puesteros are an aging breed, with few lined up to replace them. — Ana Karina Zatarain, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2026

The route to an Italian passport tends to be far more onerous for those descended from women than from men. — Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026

Since some users were reporting that the time taken for the new indexing was more than a week, as mentioned above, a light preparation now sounds much less onerous, or even noticeable. — David Phelan, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

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