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
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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of onerous
Ongoing inflation and higher tariffs resulting in onerous duties on shoe imports contributed to the increases.
—
Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2025
There was out-and-out enslavement, of Native Americans and Africans; there were onerous tribute demands and a labor corvée called the repartimiento.
—Greg Grandin
september 23, Literary Hub, 23 Sep. 2025
The penalties for not complying with the FBAR filing requirements are onerous.
—Kathleen Peddicord, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Over one thousand positions require Senate confirmation, an often-onerous and lengthy process.
—Barbara Sprunt, NPR, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for onerous
Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2025
There was out-and-out enslavement, of Native Americans and Africans; there were onerous tribute demands and a labor corvée called the repartimiento.
—Greg Grandin
september 23, Literary Hub, 23 Sep. 2025
The penalties for not complying with the FBAR filing requirements are onerous.
—Kathleen Peddicord, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Over one thousand positions require Senate confirmation, an often-onerous and lengthy process.
—Barbara Sprunt, NPR, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for onerous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for onerous
Adjective
-
The Falcons' offense has emerged as one of the toughest in the league, causing multiple turnovers a game.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Oct. 2025
-
How self-reflection operates matters because it will always be needed to make wiser choices about our toughest challenges.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The stalemate over funding in Washington comes at a challenging time for the more than 40 million Americans carrying education debt.—
Annie Nova,
CNBC,
21 Oct. 2025
-
According to construction manager John Kearns, the oceans swells became too challenging, moving the barge too much for the crane to operate safely.—
Ashley Miznazi,
Miami Herald,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Why do some chocolate bars exhibit complex flavor notes like floral, caramel, and gentle woody, while others taste harsh, bitter, and astringent?—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Where rallies are taking place Nearly daily protests in metro Detroit this year have been observed as being peaceful, though sometimes Trump supporters and protesters exchange harsh words.—
Darcie Moran,
Freep.com,
18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
These events encourage community members to dispose of hazardous materials like gasoline, oil, chemicals, and more, which can be difficult to dispose of and pose a safety risk if not handled correctly.—
Kamron Sanders,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Oct. 2025
-
Don't Look Now manipulates audiences' minds, mixing elements of the occult with the overwhelming need for hope into a plot twist audiences will find difficult to swallow.—
Steven Thrash,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
After a summer of oppressive heat, October is when New York City hits its stride.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Raducanu had her blood pressure taken during the match, which was played in oppressive heat and humidity, before retiring down 6-1, 4-1.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
As the founder and CEO of Shondaland – a media empire behind hits like Scandal, Inventing Anna Bridgerton and more – Rhimes balances intense storytelling with the equally demanding role of being a mother of three.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Thank you for your demanding, lyrical, and sensual body of work, and for your fidelity to the light itself.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Written by Mahdi Asghari Azghadi and directed by Puya Mofid, this searing Iranian drama unfolds within the confines of an elementary school, where a teacher’s harsh discipline leaves a young Black student traumatized and voiceless.—
Essie Assibu,
Variety,
17 Oct. 2025
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High-temperature cooking methods such as grilling, broiling, roasting, frying and searing can increase AGE content in food up to 100-fold compared to uncooked versions, according to a 2004 Mount Sinai study that measured AGE content under laboratory conditions.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Kalshi also portrayed the requests for emails, texts and other company materials related to geolocation as burdensome, given that identifying and organizing materials would require additional legal expenses and disruption.—
Dan Bernstein,
Sportico.com,
16 Oct. 2025
-
The bill also ditches the burdensome cover-up requirement for claims against individuals.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
11 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Onerous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/onerous. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
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