onerous
[on-er-uh s, oh-ner-]
- burdensome, oppressive, or troublesome; causing hardship: onerous duties.
- having or involving obligations or responsibilities, especially legal ones, that outweigh the advantages: an onerous agreement.
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Origin of onerous
Synonyms
See more synonyms for onerous on Thesaurus.com1. heavy, crushing, grievous; irksome, galling.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for onerous
Contemporary Examples
The pair had argued, and the assistant ceased performing this most onerous of duties.
The demand of being an EU state have been onerous and living conditions have not improved.
In Hands of Hungarian Artist, Jewish Home Movies of the ’30s a Warning of Coming HolocaustDaniel Genis
October 25, 2014
Help with onerous conditions is not help so much as benevolent coercion.
He managed to put these onerous, labor-intensive veggies at the forefront of his restaurant—and found much success.
The new FSA media requirements, however, will be onerous for freelancers if they are maintained.
Historical Examples
They are not onerous, and will not interfere with the daily life of the country.
There is a dignity to be borne which, though it may be onerous, must be supported.
Is He Popenjoy?Anthony Trollope
The door-keeper of the gaming-house holds an onerous responsibility.
The Grell MysteryFrank Froest
He is willing to surrender, if the terms are not too onerous.
At the Point of the BayonetG. A. Henty
The plan of search adopted by Professor Challis was an onerous one.
The Story of the HeavensRobert Stawell Ball
onerous
- laborious or oppressive
- law (of a contract, lease, etc) having or involving burdens or obligations that counterbalance or outweigh the advantages
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Word Origin
C14: from Latin onerōsus burdensome, from onus load
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for onerous
adj.
late 14c., from Old French onereus, honereus (14c., Modern French onéreux) and directly from Latin onerosus, from onus (genitive oneris) "burden" (see onus).
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper