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

That is more onerous than what established banks face but less than regulators forced on other newly-chartered banks in recent years.

From The Wall Street Journal

Google, concluded with punishments less onerous than feared.

From Barron's

Many European entrepreneurs blame Europe’s plight on a risk-averse culture, fragmented market and onerous regulations.

From The Wall Street Journal

Additional onerous rules applied by the Chinese government on rare-earth exports last year has raised the anxiety around procurement of these materials in the future for the rest of the world.

From The Wall Street Journal

Last month, the White House issued an executive order that aims to challenge “onerous” state laws deemed as stymieing AI innovation.

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