onerous

IPA/ˈəʊnərəs/
KK[ˈonɚəs]IPA/ˈəʊnərəs/

onerous — adjective

  • onerouspositive
  • more onerouscomparative
  • most oneroussuperlative

1. An onerous task, duty, or cost is so difficult or heavy that it makes you feel t

1.形容詞B2
釋義

An onerous task, duty, or cost is so difficult or heavy that it makes you feel tired, worried, or unfairly pressured.

例句

Karim found the paperwork for his visa application an onerous task that took weeks.

collocation: onerous task

Nora said the onerous burden of caring for her elderly parents left her exhausted.

collocation: onerous burden

同義詞
  • burdensome

    the closest synonym; same register and meaning

  • taxing

    emphasises mental or physical drain; slightly less formal

  • demanding

    broader meaning; can be positive (a demanding but rewarding job)

反義詞
  • easy

    opposite in degree of difficulty

  • light

    opposite in weight of responsibility

文法句型

onerous + noun

be + onerous

用法筆記

More formal and stronger than 'difficult' or 'hard'. Typically used with nouns describing duties, costs, or conditions that feel unfairly heavy.

常見錯誤

❌The exam questions were onerous.
✅The exam preparation was onerous.
💡'Onerous' describes tasks, duties, or responsibilities that demand sustained effort, not the difficulty of discrete items like individual questions.