burdensome
Americanadjective
-
oppressively heavy; onerous.
-
distressing; troublesome.
-
Nautical. having a full hull form, as a merchant vessel built for capacity rather than speed.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of burdensome
Explanation
Something that's burdensome is very difficult or tiring. It's better to weed your garden regularly, rather than put it off until it becomes an exhausting, burdensome task. Some summer jobs are easy and relaxing, like your laid-back dog walking business — other jobs are much more burdensome, like babysitting a large family of kids or lifeguarding at a pool where people keep nearly drowning. Something that's a burden, a physical load or a duty that weighs heavily on you, is burdensome. The Proto-Indo-European root means "to bear" or "to carry," and also "to give birth."
Vocabulary lists containing burdensome
Unit 3: Compelling Evidence
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Vocabulary from President Trump's First Address to Congress
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Ungifted
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
These hurdles can grow burdensome for medical providers, enrollees and their caregivers, yet by then it’s not easy to leave the program.
From Barron's ● Jun. 11, 2026
Government guidance says the duty should "always be applied in a proportionate way" depending on the circumstances of the case and that organisations should avoid an "overly bureaucratic and burdensome approach".
From BBC ● Jun. 8, 2026
Between 2017 and 2024, the government passed about 700 “quality control orders,” burdensome licensing requirements that stifle import competition.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 3, 2026
However, the incident prompted a backlash, becoming a rallying cry over L.A.’s burdensome filming bureaucracy.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 17, 2026
While we were encouraged by their radicalism, these men sometimes made our day- to-day life more burdensome.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
