Definitions

onerous

[on-er-uhs, oh-ner-] / ˈɒn ər əs, ˈoʊ nər- /

ADJECTIVE

difficult; requiring hard labor

Synonyms

STRONGEST

arduous backbreaking burdensome cumbersome demanding difficult distressing excessive exhausting grueling harsh intolerable laborious oppressive painful rigorous severe strenuous taxing troublesome weighty

WEAK

austere crushing embittering exacting exigent fatiguing formidable galling grave grinding hard headache heavy irksome merciless overpowering overtaxing plodding ponderous pressing responsible serious tiresome tiring toilsome vexatious

Antonyms

STRONGEST

calm easy effortless facile friendly gentle helpful mild nice simple trivial

WEAK

light

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Of course, they’ll probably make it even more onerous so they can feel smart?

From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2026

And if even that felt too onerous, they could console themselves that everyone is paying 1%, even the 10-year-old who made $100 selling lemonade.

From MarketWatch • May 7, 2026

Even so, the feeling of captivity is onerous in “John of John.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

KP Law added that some requests are "consistent with an intention to be onerous to the point of oppression" and ultimately stifle the litigation.

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026

The insubstantial frost feathers ensured that those last twenty feet remained hard, scary, onerous.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer

Vocabulary lists containing onerous

300 Most Difficult "SAT" Words

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Into the Wild

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The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

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