ONEROUS Synonyms: 109 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

onerous

adjective

ˈä-nə-rəs

Definition of onerous

as in tough

difficult to endure had the onerous and stressful job of notifying the families of soldiers killed in action

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in challenging

requiring much time, effort, or careful attention building the scale model of the frigate was an onerous task

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of onerous The second apron does impose onerous roster-building restrictions. — Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 4 July 2026 In 2022, a Humans of New York post revealed that Rinaldi sells his sperm directly to prospective parents who are seeking to avoid the onerous costs of sperm banks and fertility treatments. — Joseph Konig, PEOPLE, 25 June 2026 State lawmakers have stepped back from earlier, wider-ranging attempts to regulate AI that were vetoed or otherwise derailed by governors who viewed the measures as too onerous toward the industry’s development, including efforts to hold developers accountable for bias in AI systems. — Marc Levy, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2026 This isn’t ideal, considering the onerous repeater tax that’s triggered when a team crosses the luxury-tax threshold in four straight seasons or four times during a five-season period. — Anthony Chiang june 19, Miami Herald, 19 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for onerous

Recent Examples of Synonyms for onerous

Adjective

With men on first and third and nobody out that inning, second baseman Jackson Holliday fielded a tough grounder and threw to second, but shortstop Gunnar Henderson dropped the ball for an error and everyone was safe.

— CBS News, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
As for footwear sales in the region, the second quarter saw a slowdown of sales of high-heat product, alongside tougher comparatives and ongoing softness in end-of-cycle footwear product lines.

— Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of tough

Adjective

The champion faced a challenging opponent, as Garry forced him to work hard for seven takedowns and inflicted some facial damage.

— Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026
The current outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo Ebola virus, is unfolding in some of the most challenging conditions imaginable.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of challenging

Adjective

The shortcomings of Usman and Dvalishvili, future Hall of Famers, only point to how difficult the historic mark was to reach.

— Mark Puleo, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
The Teamsters have been enthusiastically endorsing the bill specifically because, while 40-something employers would be difficult to collectively bargain against, DSP workers would be much easier to organize once within Amazon.

— Tiana Lowe Doescher, The Washington Examiner, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of difficult

Adjective

Casablanca is another clear reference point for an episode in which a café serves as a locus of intrigue for a resistance group fighting against oppressive invaders.

— Keith Phipps, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026
Airport ground crews in hot climates can be exposed to oppressive heat, and airlines must protect their health.

— Emma Balleste, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of oppressive

Adjective

Immediately after the legislation was signed, states began bracing for the substantial pullback of federal support, rural hospital closures, and implementation of burdensome paperwork requirements intended to drive down enrollment.

— Diana DeGette, Denver Post, 16 Aug. 2026
QueerDoc has also argued the subpoena is overbroad and burdensome.

— Sudhin Thanawala, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of burdensome

Browse Nearby Words

one-on-one

onerous

ones

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Onerous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/onerous. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of onerous

adjective

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on onerous

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

august

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes