onerous

American  

[on-er-uhs, oh-ner-] / ˈɒn ər əs, ˈoʊ nər- /

adjective

1. burdensome, oppressive, or troublesome; causing hardship.

   onerous duties.

   Synonyms:

   galling, irksome, grievous, heavy

2. having or involving obligations or responsibilities, especially legal ones, that outweigh the advantages.

   an onerous agreement.

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onerous British  

/ ˈəʊ-, ˈɒnərəs /

adjective

1. laborious or oppressive

2. law (of a contract, lease, etc) having or involving burdens or obligations that counterbalance or outweigh the advantages

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Other Word Forms

• nononerous adjective
• nononerously adverb
• nononerousness noun
• onerosity noun
• onerously adverb
• onerousness noun
• unonerous adjective
• unonerously adverb
• unonerousness noun

Etymology

Origin of onerous

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin onerōsus, equivalent to oner- (stem of onus ) burden + -ōsus -ous

Example Sentences

They include onerous federal efficiency standards for refrigerators, freezers and gas-fired water heaters, among other appliances.

From The Wall Street Journal

California has historically been a market that data centers have tried to avoid when possible because of the state’s high land and power costs and its onerous legislation.

From Los Angeles Times

And I know Mayor Bass is trying to work on some modifications to make it perhaps less onerous.

From Los Angeles Times

One of the settlement’s most onerous requirements—at which investment banks have bristled for years—was the firewall that separates investment banking from research analysts.

From The Wall Street Journal

For the companies, the deals secure protection from onerous tariffs and provide more certainty about U.S. drug pricing policy.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• arduous
• backbreaking
• burdensome
• cumbersome
• demanding
• difficult
• distressing
• excessive
• exhausting
• grueling
• harsh
• intolerable
• laborious
• oppressive
• painful
• rigorous
• severe
• strenuous
• taxing
• troublesome