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
Those could include tax incentives to maintain refining capacity, or temporary relief from some of the more onerous rules that disproportionately affect California refiners.
—
Robert Rapier, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025
Critics say work requirements are a backhanded way to slim down the Medicaid rolls, since the paperwork requirements of such programs have proved so onerous that eligible people drop out, causing the uninsured rate to rise.
—Elisabeth Rosenthal, Miami Herald, 22 May 2025
Customers who took out loans — which range from $200 to $3,000 — pleaded for relief from onerous terms that allowed Minto Money to claw back the sums multiple times over through automatic bank withdrawals.
—Kyle Hopkins, ProPublica, 21 May 2025
Its onerous regulations put every single EU company at a disadvantage globally with technological competitors.
—Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for onerous
Robert Rapier, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025
Critics say work requirements are a backhanded way to slim down the Medicaid rolls, since the paperwork requirements of such programs have proved so onerous that eligible people drop out, causing the uninsured rate to rise.
—Elisabeth Rosenthal, Miami Herald, 22 May 2025
Customers who took out loans — which range from $200 to $3,000 — pleaded for relief from onerous terms that allowed Minto Money to claw back the sums multiple times over through automatic bank withdrawals.
—Kyle Hopkins, ProPublica, 21 May 2025
Its onerous regulations put every single EU company at a disadvantage globally with technological competitors.
—Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for onerous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for onerous
Adjective
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This is a time for doing the tough, often unglamorous job of making the city function for all New Yorkers.—
Scott Stringer,
New York Daily News,
3 June 2025
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When staring at twin suns like from much greater distances — many light-years away — astronomers have a much tougher time than young Skywalker in determining two stars from one.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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Read more upvotes Comment View 417 comments Dr. Melanie McCabe told Newsweek that the postpartum period can be both joyful and deeply challenging.—
Darlin Tillery,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 June 2025
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Predicting how technology will change our relationship with terminology is challenging, but the need for precise scientific language, including the names of species, will never go away.—
Nicholas Green,
The Conversation,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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Of the treaty’s three American signers—John Adams, John Jay and Benjamin Franklin—Franklin was said to have taken the harshest line against the loyalists.—
Greg Daugherty,
Smithsonian Magazine,
4 June 2025
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Netflix released the trailer for the reality TV show on YouTube on Wednesday, which starts with a voice-over of a cheerleader talking about how the DCC will always be in each other’s lives before explaining the harsh reality of trying out to be a Cowboys cheerleader with all the talent.—
Lawrence Dow,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 June 2025
Adjective
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But the fact that Schwartzman, in his first film, was given the difficult task of stealing laughs away from a comedy legend, and so often succeeds in doing so, gives him the slight edge.—
Shannon Carlin,
Time,
30 May 2025
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These connections are difficult to make from within, but consultants are trained to see across boundaries.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
Adjective
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More than 60 years ago, my parents fled Cuba for the United States, seeking freedom from an oppressive regime that dictated what businesses produced and how products were priced.—
Carlos Cubelo,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 June 2025
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The film follows a 40-year-old widowed nurse named Mahnaz, who is struggling with a rebellious son and other complications in a heavily oppressive patriarchal context.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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The nausea is now mostly in the past, Lauren says, and the Lanes are realizing that getting ready for a third child isn’t as demanding as earlier preparations.—
Nancy Kruh,
People.com,
30 May 2025
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Work and home will be equally demanding, as Venus meets with Jupiter on June 4.—
Liz Simmons,
StyleCaster,
27 May 2025
Adjective
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His breakthrough role proved to be a history-making one too, securing the part of David, aka Tsotsi, in Gavin Hood’s searing 2005 crime drama Tsotsi.—
Abid Rahman,
HollywoodReporter,
27 May 2025
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And of all the heartbreak Indiana has caused Knicks fans over the years, this might be the most searing.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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Trump's legal team argued that Biden had unlawfully granted mass parole and that individual case reviews would be too burdensome for immigration authorities.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 May 2025
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California is notorious for its burdensome regulations and difficult business climate, and its treatment of the insurance industry is no different.—
Adam B. Summers,
Oc Register,
30 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Onerous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/onerous. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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