quite onerous

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "quite onerous" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is burdensome or heavy in terms of responsibility or effort. Example: "The new regulations imposed by the government are quite onerous for small businesses trying to comply."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

17 human-written examples

"They're really quite onerous".

The New York Times

Or that the process of screening refugees in the United States is actually quite onerous, rigorous and lengthy.

Independent

Amy Norquist of Greensulate said this was less attractive than it sounded".What you have to do to get that is quite onerous," she said.

The New York Times

"This will mean the end of the quite onerous bookkeeping and segregation of supplies, equipment and people that were necessary under the Bush executive order," he said.

The Guardian

"This will mean the end of the quite onerous bookkeeping and segregation of supplies, equipment and people that were necessary under the Bush executive order," said BD Colen, spokesman for the institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The Guardian

"Sprague, while agreeing to continue to supply the product, insisted upon revisions to the terms of the contract that are quite onerous," said a summary of the deal that was prepared for the transportation authority's board.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

41 human-written examples

That's quite an onerous requirement.

The Guardian - Money

"It does seem on the face of it quite an onerous burden on auctioneers," said Jeremy Kosky, a partner in litigation at Clifford Chance in London.

The New York Times - Arts

Could it be that modern copyright law is not quite as onerous as Lessig pretends?

Forbes

Transparency requires that consumers of the information assess its reliability and set the thresholds for acceptable performance themselves, which can be quite an onerous task in times of an information overload.

Communicative and Integrative Biology

RSM suggested fifteen different optimum settings of which the validation is quite expensive and onerous, whereas GAMS suggested a single optimum setting which makes it more economically viable especially for large scale systems.

Computers & Chemical Engineering

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "quite onerous" when you want to express that something is notably burdensome, but perhaps not overwhelmingly so. The 'quite' adds a degree of moderation.

Common error

Avoid using "quite onerous" simply as a filler. Ensure that the situation genuinely warrants the description of being burdensome. Otherwise, consider using a stronger or more specific adjective.

Linguistic Context

"Quite onerous" functions as an adjective phrase modifying a noun, indicating that something possesses the quality of being burdensome or demanding. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically sound and readily usable. The examples show it describing processes, requirements, and regulations.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

5%

Unknown

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "quite onerous" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to describe something that is notably burdensome or demanding. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is appropriate for use in various contexts, particularly in news, science, and formal business settings. While alternatives like "rather burdensome" or "fairly taxing" exist, "quite onerous" effectively conveys a sense of difficulty without exaggeration. Its consistent presence in reputable sources indicates its reliability and usefulness in expressing the weight of a task or responsibility.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

rather burdensome

Replaces "quite" with "rather", slightly softening the emphasis on how burdensome something is.

pretty burdensome

Substitutes "quite" with "pretty", offering a more informal tone.

fairly taxing

Uses "taxing" to describe the demanding nature, altering the imagery from a burden to a strain.

considerably demanding

Emphasizes the degree of demand using "considerably", focusing on effort required.

decidedly strenuous

Focuses on the energy expenditure, implying a vigorous and demanding activity.

somewhat arduous

Replaces both "quite" and "onerous" with synonyms, indicating a challenging or difficult task.

markedly laborious

Emphasizes the effort required, indicating hard work and persistence are needed.

moderately challenging

Focuses on the level of challenge involved, making it slightly less forceful than "onerous".

reasonably difficult

Highlights the difficulty, but suggests it is within acceptable limits.

genuinely troublesome

Shifts the focus to the problems caused by something, rather than the burden it imposes.

FAQs

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

You can use "quite onerous" to describe tasks, responsibilities, or regulations that are noticeably burdensome or demanding. For example, "The application process was "quite onerous", requiring extensive documentation and multiple interviews."

What are some alternatives to "quite onerous"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives such as "rather burdensome", "fairly taxing", or "considerably demanding". Each alternative conveys a slightly different nuance of difficulty or burden.

Is it better to say "quite onerous" or "very onerous"?

"Quite onerous" suggests a noticeable burden, while "very onerous" implies a significantly heavier burden. The choice depends on the specific level of difficulty you wish to convey. "Very onerous" is typically used when the burden is exceptionally heavy.

What makes something "quite onerous"?

Something becomes "quite onerous" when it requires a significant amount of effort, time, or resources, and feels burdensome due to its complexity or demands. For instance, complying with new regulations can be "quite onerous" for small businesses.