onerous

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'onerous' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to mean 'burdensome' or 'difficult to deal with'. Example sentence: The onerous task of preparing for the meeting took up a lot of his time.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The parents will find remortgaging or arranging other finance much more onerous while they are guaranteeing another loan.

The Guardian - Money

The evidence before us strongly suggests that investment in the unglamorous technologies, frameworks and infrastructures that are already known to underwrite citizen participation would result in better outcomes for tens of millions of ordinary Indians – and would shoulder the state with far-less onerous a financial burden – than investment in the high-tech chimeras of centralised control.

The Guardian

Kutsuplus comes very close to delivering the best of both worlds: the convenient point-to-point freedom that a car affords, yet without the onerous environmental and financial costs of ownership (or even a Zipcar membership).

The Guardian

The National Museum of Australia, which later inherited the collection, addresses matter-of-factly this onerous truth at its heart: "For MacKenzie… there was a close link between the fate of Australian fauna and Aboriginal people.

The Guardian

Now, in a submission to the government, the Australian Industry Group (AI Group) has warned that using Direct Action to achieve the deeper emission reductions after 2020 – which Australia will be required to do in any agreement at the United Nations conference in Paris in December – will impose an increasingly onerous burden on the taxpayer.

The Guardian

The reforms also involve pressing the banks to stop demanding onerous personal guarantees when entrepreneurs seek loans for their businesses.Most of all, Mr Abe admits, Japan needs to become more accepting of initial failure.

The Economist

This could bounce back quickly with economic recovery in America and, provided that cost increases from environmental measures are not too onerous, the long-haul travel on which BA's profitability depends should revive in time.

The Economist

It has a web of bilateral deals with Brussels though these may yet be torn apart by the Swiss referendum in February that rejected the free movement of workers.Above all, Switzerland has a successful currency union without the euro zone's onerous central edicts on everything from deficits to labour policy, pensions and investment.

The Economist

Biogen Idec put itself up for sale last year, but the recalcitrant management found clever ways to make the bidding process so onerous and unattractive that nobody made a bid for it.So will Big Pharma's land-grab succeed, heralding the long-awaited convergence of the two industries?

The Economist

At first sight, the law seems like just another piece of European bureaucracy: slow and onerous.

The Economist

Democrats, meanwhile, warn against any requirements that are so onerous as to exclude large numbers of the undocumented.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "onerous" to describe tasks, responsibilities, or regulations that are not only difficult but also impose a significant burden or strain. It's stronger than simply saying something is 'hard'.

Common error

Avoid using "onerous" to describe tasks that are merely inconvenient or slightly challenging. The word implies a heavy burden, so reserve it for situations involving significant hardship or effort.

Linguistic Context

The adjective "onerous" primarily functions to describe nouns, indicating that they impose a heavy burden or are particularly difficult to endure. This is supported by Ludwig, which confirms its usage in contexts involving burdensome tasks and responsibilities.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

10%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the word "onerous" is an adjective used to describe something that is burdensome or difficult. Ludwig AI confirms its correct and frequent usage in English writing. The word commonly appears in News & Media and Formal & Business contexts, indicating tasks, regulations or responsibilities that impose a significant strain. While many synonyms exist, such as "burdensome", "taxing", and "arduous", "onerous" specifically emphasizes the heavy and oppressive nature of the burden. Therefore, reserve its use for situations where the difficulty involves significant hardship. The examples show its use in serious writing from top media.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

burdensome

Direct synonym focusing on the weight and encumbrance imposed.

taxing

Emphasizes the demanding and draining nature of the task.

demanding

Stresses the high requirements and expectations involved.

arduous

Highlights the effort and difficulty involved.

difficult

A general term for something not easily done.

challenging

Implies a need for skill and effort to overcome.

laborious

Focuses on the extensive effort and time required.

cumbersome

Highlights the unwieldy and awkward nature of the burden.

oppressive

Suggests a feeling of being weighed down and controlled.

formidable

Highlights the challenge and potential for difficulty.

FAQs

How can I use "onerous" in a sentence?

You can use "onerous" to describe tasks, responsibilities, or regulations that are burdensome. For example, "The new regulations placed an onerous burden on small businesses."

What are some alternatives to the word "onerous"?

You can use alternatives like "burdensome", "taxing", or "arduous" depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say something is "very onerous"?

Yes, you can use adverbs like "very" to intensify the meaning of "onerous". For example, "The task was very onerous and required significant effort."

What's the difference between "onerous" and "difficult"?

"Difficult" is a general term for something not easily done. "Onerous" implies that something is not only difficult but also imposing or burdensome. Onerous tasks are not only hard to complete, but also involve a high degree of effort and stress.