onus

[ oh-nuhs ]

/ ˈoʊ nəs /

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See synonyms for onus on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural o·nus·es.

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

burden of proof.Compare onus probandi.

blame or responsibility.

OTHER WORDS FOR onus

1 responsibility, weight, duty, load.

See synonyms for onus on Thesaurus.com

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CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of onus

1630–40; <Latin: load, burden

Words nearby onus

on top of, “On Top of Old Smoky”, on top of the world, on-trend, on trial, onus, onus probandi, on view, onward, “Onward Christian Soldiers”, onwards

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use onus in a sentence

Now the onus could shift to Americans to claim the money on their tax refund — further delaying relief to struggling, lower-income Americans.
Millions won't get stimulus money before the IRS cut-off date|Courtenay Brown|January 15, 2021|Axios
The economic downturn is a real challenge, and puts the onus on us as a business to make sure we are as accessible to people as possible.
The online grocery startup betting big on the pandemic shift in grocery shopping|Rachel King|January 3, 2021|Fortune
While Felsen and other experts placed the majority of the onus for workplace safety on the employer, a top TOSHA official noted that the workers bore some responsibility too.
A Temp Worker Died on the Job After FedEx Didn’t Fix a Known Hazard. The Fine: $7,000.|by Wendi C. Thomas, MLK50: Justice Through Journalism|December 23, 2020|ProPublica
The lease-to-own arrangement put the onus on the city to handle repair costs that have skyrocketed while traditional leases leave those costs and responsibilities to landlords.
Real Estate Debacles Loomed Large on Faulconer’s Watch|Lisa Halverstadt|December 10, 2020|Voice of San Diego

So the onus still falls on parents to decide how much information is right for their children.
Should I be giving my little girl a bigger dose of reality about the pandemic?|Scott Neumyer|October 30, 2020|Washington Post
However, Gold put the onus on herself and other more established women.
These Women Are Labias-to-the-Wall Funny|Emily Shire|November 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
UNO puts such an onus on smoking students that it ultimately seems like a bully, even more than a nanny.
The University Of New Orleans’ Cigarette Ban Is Total BS|Chloé Valdary|October 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Asked about funding public libraries, Osborne put the onus of responsibility on local councils.
Why 7 Times 8 Tripped Up the UK Chancellor|Tim Teeman|July 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The onus is on one man to hold this wacky goulash of punditry together: Mike Tirico.
World Cup Anchor Mike Tirico’s Bizarre History: Reports of Stalking and Sexual Harassment|Marlow Stern|July 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Trying to put the onus onto someone else for your own decisions is really cowardly and kind of dishonest.
Speed Read: Terry Richardson on Sex, Lies, and Lindsay Lohan|Justin Jones|June 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
On him, and on him alone, falls the crushing onus of responsibility: to be a Corps Commander is child's play in that comparison.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton
Nor is it enough that science can urge nothing in disproof—the onus probandi lies with those who affirm.
British Quarterly Review, American Edition, Volume LIV|Various
If the record were received generally by any nation, the onus probandi would in that case lie with those who impugned it.
Thoughts on a Revelation|Samuel John Jerram
Nullum detractavimus onus, quod sine scelere suspici posset.
History of the Great Reformation, Volume IV|J. H. Merle D'Aubign
Ueruntamen hoc onus humeris filii sui moriturus apposuit: qui cum deuota assercione, illud sibi suscepit.
Beowulf|R. W. Chambers

British Dictionary definitions for onus

onus

/ (ˈəʊnəs) /

noun plural onuses

a responsibility, task, or burden

Word Origin for onus

C17: from Latin: burden

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

onus

OTHER WORDS FOR onus

Origin of onus

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How to use onus in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for onus

Word Origin for onus