arduous work

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "arduous work" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe tasks or jobs that are difficult, demanding, or require a lot of effort. Example: "Completing the project on time required arduous work from the entire team, but we managed to succeed."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

With our representation comes better care for clients, better working conditions, and fair compensation for arduous work.

Huffington Post

It's very arduous work".

The Guardian - Opinion

It's arduous work indeed.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The arduous work to find that killer continues.

The New York Times

What experiences did they have in their arduous work?

Stanford University

Mr. Scott gave a commanding account of this arduous work.

The New York Times - Arts

7 What arduous work was done by a Russian burlak?

The Guardian - Lifestyle

They have low divorce rates, arduous work ethics and strict codes to regulate their kids.

The New York Times

Arduous work with physical therapists brought back some balance and dexterity.

The New York Times

Such discoveries emerge from arduous work at the bench and in clinical research with patients.

Cornell University

Turning the ideas, now correctly sequenced, into composed episodes is arduous work, he confessed.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Pair "arduous work" with verbs that reflect effort and persistence, such as "require", "demand", or "involve", to underscore the intensity of the labor.

Common error

Avoid using "arduous work" for tasks that are merely time-consuming or require simple repetition. "Arduous work" specifically implies a high degree of difficulty and sustained effort, not just duration.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "arduous work" functions primarily as a noun phrase, where "arduous" modifies the noun "work". Ludwig AI indicates that this combination describes tasks that are particularly difficult and require substantial effort.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

61%

Academia

19%

Science

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Wiki

1%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "arduous work" is a common and grammatically sound phrase used to describe tasks that are difficult and require sustained effort. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. The phrase is found frequently in news, academic, and scientific contexts, emphasizing its broad applicability. While alternatives like "demanding task" or "strenuous labor" exist, "arduous work" effectively conveys the intensity and challenge involved in a given activity. It’s important to reserve this term for tasks that genuinely require significant effort, avoiding its use for routine or simple activities.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

demanding task

This alternative replaces "work" with "task", emphasizing the specific job rather than the general activity, also replaces "arduous" with the semantically similar "demanding".

strenuous labor

This alternative replaces "arduous" with "strenuous", indicating great physical exertion and replaces "work" with the synonymous "labor".

challenging undertaking

This alternative replaces "work" with "undertaking", suggesting a project or endeavor and replaces "arduous" with the synonymous "challenging".

difficult assignment

This alternative replaces "work" with "assignment", implying a specific duty and replaces "arduous" with the semantically similar "difficult".

laborious effort

This alternative replaces "arduous" with "laborious", highlighting the effort required and replaces "work" with "effort", suggesting exertion.

grueling activity

This alternative replaces "work" with "activity", broadening the scope, and "arduous" with "grueling", emphasizing exhaustion.

taxing endeavor

This alternative replaces "work" with "endeavor", suggesting a serious attempt and "arduous" with "taxing" implying a strain.

tiresome job

This alternative replaces "work" with "job", a common synonym, and "arduous" with "tiresome", focusing on the fatigue induced.

exacting process

This alternative replaces "work" with "process", referring to a series of actions, and "arduous" with "exacting", indicating precision and care.

backbreaking toil

This alternative replaces "work" with "toil", highlighting continuous labor, and "arduous" with "backbreaking", emphasizing physical strain.

FAQs

How can I use "arduous work" in a sentence?

You can use "arduous work" to describe tasks that are difficult and require sustained effort. For example, "Completing the project required "arduous work" from the entire team."

What can I say instead of "arduous work"?

Alternatives include "demanding task", "strenuous labor", or "challenging undertaking", depending on the specific context.

Is "arduous work" formal or informal?

"Arduous work" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. While "arduous" is a sophisticated word, the phrase is widely understood and accepted.

What makes work "arduous"?

Work becomes "arduous" when it involves significant difficulty, sustained effort, and often physical or mental strain. It goes beyond merely being time-consuming.