onerous effort

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "onerous effort" is correct and can be used in written English.
It means a difficult or burdensome attempt to achieve something. Example: Despite the onerous effort of studying for hours every day, he was determined to pass the exam.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

In the end, the result was surely worth the onerous effort and expense.

The New York Times

If no existing corpus will meet the needs of the task, adapting one to the BioC format is not an onerous effort.

Database : the journal of biological databases and curation

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

These are surely the most onerous efforts to challenge Muslim (and, unintentionally, non-Muslim) foreign athletes, but they are not the first.

The New Yorker

By the early 1930s, less than eight years after hyperinflation had been brought under control, Germany was effectively bankrupt, and German resentment over the onerous efforts to extract billions in reparations helped pave the way for Hitler.

The New York Times - Books

Preservationists are hoping the move will inspire others to follow suit in Los Angeles, where the instinct to tear down and build anew has long stood in stark contrast to the obsessive (and sometimes onerous) efforts of New York City's Landmarks Preservation Commission to preserve the works of great architects.

The New York Times

With the onset of the Industrial Revolution and the development of powered machinery during the 18th and 19th centuries, much onerous physical effort was gradually removed from work in factories and fields.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Although this expectation is currently onerous, given the effort necessary to obtain the images and the disc storage required to save the images, we think that making images available for independent review and interpretation will be a long-term benefit to biomedical science.

Histochemistry and Cell Biology

The Republican leadership in the House has accused the administration of plotting to raise the price of energy through onerous regulation, in an effort to promote otherwise uncompetitive green technologies.

The Economist

This approach will make emigration and immigration efforts less onerous, and may provide greater granularity as to healthcare and HCW country needs that allows more targeted interventions and policies.

Global Health Action

At virtually every turn between about 1920 and 1950, A.& P. was confronted with another assault from anti-chain forces, including efforts to impose onerous taxes on its individual outlets and restrictions on the price advantages that it could command from manufacturers.

The New York Times

The CityTime project began in the Giuliani administration as an effort to modernize an onerous payroll system then managed entirely by hand.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a project or task, use "onerous effort" to emphasize the significant difficulty and demanding nature of achieving the desired outcome.

Common error

Avoid using "onerous effort" in casual conversation or informal writing. Opt for simpler alternatives like "difficult task" or "tough job" for better suitability.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "onerous effort" functions as a noun phrase where "onerous" modifies the noun "effort". It describes the quality of the effort being particularly burdensome or difficult. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is correct and appropriate for use in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

10%

Wiki

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "onerous effort" is a grammatically sound and semantically rich expression used to convey the challenging and burdensome nature of a task or undertaking. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness. While not exceedingly common, its use is appropriate in formal contexts, particularly in news media, scientific publications, and business communications. Related phrases include "demanding endeavor" and "burdensome task". When employing this phrase, aim for settings that warrant a sophisticated and emphatic tone, avoiding overuse in casual conversation. While the frequency is rare, the available sources are authoritative, ensuring credibility and precision in describing particularly taxing endeavors.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

demanding endeavor

Replaces "onerous" with "demanding", emphasizing the high requirements and expectations of the task.

burdensome task

Substitutes "effort" with "task" and "onerous" with "burdensome", highlighting the heavy load involved.

arduous undertaking

Replaces "effort" with "undertaking" and "onerous" with "arduous", indicating a strenuous and challenging project.

difficult assignment

Changes "effort" to "assignment" and "onerous" to "difficult", focusing on the problematic nature of a given task.

challenging endeavor

Replaces "onerous" with "challenging", framing the effort as a test of one's abilities.

laborious attempt

Emphasizes the amount of work required, similar to "onerous", replacing effort with attempt.

strenuous activity

Highlights the physical or mental exertion involved in the effort.

taxing work

Focuses on the depleting nature of the work involved.

grueling process

Emphasizes the exhausting and prolonged nature of the effort, framed as a process.

heavy lift

An informal term for a difficult and demanding task or effort.

FAQs

How can I use "onerous effort" in a sentence?

You can use "onerous effort" to describe a task or undertaking that requires a significant amount of work and is particularly difficult. For example: "Despite the "onerous effort" involved, the team successfully completed the project."

What are some synonyms for "onerous effort"?

Alternatives to "onerous effort" include phrases like "demanding endeavor", "burdensome task", or "arduous undertaking", all of which convey a sense of difficulty and burden.

Is it appropriate to use "onerous effort" in formal writing?

Yes, "onerous effort" is suitable for formal writing when you want to emphasize the difficult and burdensome nature of an undertaking. However, consider the audience and context to ensure it aligns with the overall tone.

What is the difference between "onerous effort" and "difficult task"?

While both phrases describe something challenging, ""onerous effort"" implies a greater degree of burden and difficulty compared to a simple "difficult task". "Onerous" suggests something that is oppressively heavy or troublesome.