onus

American  

[oh-nuhs] / ˈoʊ nəs /

noun

plural

onuses

1. a difficult or disagreeable obligation, task, burden, etc.

   Synonyms:

   load, duty, weight, responsibility

2. burden of proof.

3. blame or responsibility.

---

onus British  

/ ˈəʊnəs /

noun

1. a responsibility, task, or burden

---

Etymology

Origin of onus

1630–40; < Latin: load, burden

Example Sentences

But under the new plans, the onus would shift to confining the offender to specific areas tailored to them.

From BBC

Now the onus is on the 22-year-old to produce plenty more roars at Anfield - and judging by how he played on Saturday, there will be.

From BBC

The IRS places the onus of responsibility on the taxpayer, and they are the ones who have to make sure this task gets done every year once they reach the age when RMDs are required.

From MarketWatch

In a world first this month, Australia banned under-16s from major social media platforms including TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, with the onus on the tech firms to kick young users off their services.

From Barron's

She is championing a constitutional amendment to make extortion a federal crime and put the onus on law enforcement, not individuals, to hunt down violators.

From Los Angeles Times