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

Proposition 39’s provisions echo but are less onerous than those proposed in the SAVE America Act, the strict voter ID and proof of citizenship measure Trump is pushing in Congress. — Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026

While JPMorgan faces a vast and onerous regulatory burden—a legacy of all the financial crises caused by bank failures—BlackRock is still relatively lightly regulated. — Robin Wigglesworth, Fortune, 29 Sep. 2026

While the most onerous traffic delays — the 20-minute holds — are largely over, Kionka said, motorists should still expect some impacts for the remainder of the project, including occasional traffic shifts, closures and detours. — Robert Tann, Denver Post, 24 Sep. 2026

Brussels needs to reverse course and rethink its onerous technology regulations. — Andrew McAfee, Foreign Affairs, 23 Sep. 2026

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