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onerous

adjective

Synonyms and Antonyms of onerous

1 difficult to endure

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

bitter, brutal, burdensome, cruel, excruciating, grievous, grim, hard, hardhanded, harsh, heavy, inhuman, murderous, oppressive, rough, rugged, searing, severe, stiff, tough, trying
Words Related to onerous

austere, bleak, comfortless, discomforting, forbidding, inhospitable, spartan, uncomfortable

biting, inclement, intemperate, wild

rigorous, strict, stringent

agonizing, heartbreaking, heartrending, painful, wretched

crushing, grinding, overwhelming, wearing

insufferable, insupportable, intolerable, unbearable, unendurable

harrowing, tortuous

bad, disagreeable, hostile, unfriendly, unpleasant
Near Antonyms of onerous

comfortable, cozy, luxurious, snug

agreeable, friendly, genial, hospitable, pleasant

peaceful, relaxing, reposeful, restful

bearable, endurable, painless, tolerable

balmy, calm, clement, gentle, mild, moderate, temperate
Antonyms of onerous

easy, light, soft

2 requiring much time, effort, or careful attention

  • building the scale model of the frigate was an onerous task
Synonyms of onerous

arduous, burdensome, challenging, demanding, exacting, grueling (or gruelling), killing, laborious, persnickety, taxing, toilsome
Words Related to onerous

difficult, formidable, hard, herculean, rough, rugged, stiff, strenuous, testing, tough

oppressive, trying

rigid, rigorous, severe, stern, strict, stringent
Near Antonyms of onerous

easy, effortless, facile, simple, smooth
Antonyms of onerous

light, nondemanding, unchallenging, undemanding

Synonym Discussion of onerous

onerous, burdensome, oppressive, exacting mean imposing hardship. onerous stresses being laborious and heavy especially because distasteful.
    • the onerous task of cleaning up the mess
burdensome suggests causing mental as well as physical strain.
    • burdensome responsibilities
oppressive implies extreme harshness or severity in what is imposed.
    • the oppressive tyranny of a police state
exacting implies rigor or sternness rather than tyranny or injustice in the demands made or in the one demanding.
    • an exacting employer

Learn More about onerous

  1. See words that rhyme with onerous Dictionary: Definition of onerous Spanish Central: Translation of onerous Nglish: Translation of onerous for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of onerous for Arabic speakers

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