arduous

[ ahr-joo-uhsor, especially British, ahr-dyoo- ]

adjective

1. requiring great exertion; laborious; difficult:

   an arduous undertaking.

   Synonyms: exhausting, burdensome, wearisome, onerous, toilsome, hard

   Antonyms: easy

2. requiring or using much energy and vigor; strenuous:

   making an arduous effort.

3. hard to climb; steep:

   an arduous path up the hill.

4. hard to endure; full of hardships; severe:

   an arduous winter.

arduous

/ ˈɑːdjʊəs /

adjective

1. requiring great physical or mental effort; difficult to accomplish; strenuous
2. hard to endure; harsh

   arduous conditions

3. hard to overcome or surmount; steep or difficult

   an arduous track

Derived Forms

• ˈarduously, adverb
• ˈarduousness, noun

Other Words From

• ardu·ous·ly adverb
• ardu·ous·ness noun
• super·ardu·ous adjective
• super·ardu·ous·ly adverb
• super·ardu·ous·ness noun
• un·ardu·ous adjective
• un·ardu·ous·ly adverb
• un·ardu·ous·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of arduous¹

First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin arduus “erect, laborious, steep”

Word History and Origins

Origin of arduous¹

C16: from Latin arduus steep, difficult

Example Sentences

A harsh lockdown, one of the strictest in the world, created a humanitarian crisis of its own, pushing millions of migrant workers to take arduous journeys back home on foot.

From Quartz

When changes concern the matter of how we mark off our identities, though, any alteration would be extremely arduous and require more than education.

From Nautilus

Smith played in his first game since his devastating injury, completing an arduous comeback and withstanding a brutal sack from Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald.

From Washington Post

First, we didn’t try to stand up an entirely new educational program on our own, which almost certainly would be a long, arduous process that may not meet the differing needs of academic institutions around the world.

From Fortune

After seventeen surgeries, a life-threatening infection, a lost season and months of arduous rehab, Smith returned to the field in October.

From Washington Post

It's slow and arduous and takes great concentration under the best of circumstances.

From The Daily Beast

Bailey, who is also dating the director, said working on a Leigh production was incredibly arduous.

From The Daily Beast

Even more striking are the courteous and collegial manners displayed, even during the arduous filibuster in the Senate.

From The Daily Beast

Once the budget has been creatively handled, a director still faces the arduous task of casting.

From The Daily Beast

The road to the Olympics is already long and arduous enough.

From The Daily Beast

Indeed, 'we have laid upon him various arduous tasks touching the state of the country, and especially its tranquillity.'

From Project Gutenberg

But Samuel Adams, who thought "nothing should be despaired of," took upon himself the performance of this arduous task.

From Project Gutenberg

Sir Edward Bruce, after an arduous struggle, had taken a firm grip of Galloway by the end of 1308.

From Project Gutenberg

Nature seems still to wish to keep the young and blushing girl apart from that connection which entails grave and arduous duties.

From Project Gutenberg

Though Weston was more or less accustomed to the work, he found the first few hours sufficiently arduous.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• backbreaking
• burdensome
• exhausting
• formidable
• grueling
• laborious
• onerous
• painful
• rigorous
• strenuous
• tiring
• tough
• troublesome
• trying
• uphill