Arduous — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈär-jə-wəs/ ar·du·ous

Meaning & Definition of Arduous

Arduous (adjective)

  1. hard to accomplish or achieve, difficult
  2. marked by great labor or effort, strenuous
  3. hard to climb, steep

Arduous (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. requiring considerable physical or mental effort

    "climbing Mount Everest is an arduous, exhausting challenge"

    similar: Augean, backbreaking, challenging, demanding, difficult, effortful, exacting, formidable, grueling, hard, heavy, hellacious, herculean, killer, laborious, moiling, murderous, pick-and-shovel, rigorous, rough, rugged, severe, stiff, strenuous, sweaty, tall, testing, toilsome, tough, uphill
    related: abstract, abstruse, complex, complicated, elusive, hairy, insoluble, intricate, involved, knotty, opaque, problematic, recondite, serious, spiny, stubborn, thorny, ticklish, tricky, bruising, burdensome, exhausting, labored, onerous, oppressive, stressful, taxing, tight, trying, annoying, bothersome, distressing, irksome, troublesome, vexatious, grievous, grim, strict, stringent, brutal, cruel, inhuman, painful
    opposite: cheap, easy, effortless, facile, light, mindless, simple, soft, undemanding
    near: achievable, clear, doable, elementary, manageable, uncomplicated, comforting, gentle, painless, relaxed, smooth, soothing, accessible, friendly, idiotproof, user-friendly

  2. requiring much time, effort, or careful attention

    "the arduous task of doing the research for my term paper"

    similar: burdensome, challenging, demanding, exacting, grueling, killing, laborious, onerous, persnickety, taxing, toilsome
    related: difficult, formidable, hard, herculean, rough, rugged, stiff, strenuous, testing, tough, oppressive, trying, rigid, rigorous, severe, stern, strict, stringent
    opposite: light, nondemanding, unchallenging, undemanding
    near: easy, effortless, facile, simple, smooth

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Arduous

The most common words with a similar meaning to Arduous:

Augean, backbreaking, challenging, demanding, difficult, effortful, exacting, formidable, grueling, hard, heavy, hellacious, herculean, killer, laborious, moiling, murderous, pick-and-shovel, rigorous, rough, rugged, severe, stiff, strenuous, sweaty, tall, testing, toilsome, tough, uphill, burdensome, killing, onerous, persnickety, taxing

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Arduous

Words with the opposite meaning of Arduous:

cheap, easy, effortless, facile, light, mindless, simple, soft, undemanding, nondemanding, unchallenging

Related Words for Arduous

abstract, abstruse, complex, complicated, elusive, hairy, insoluble, intricate, involved, knotty, opaque, problematic, recondite, serious, spiny, stubborn, thorny, ticklish, tricky, bruising, exhausting, labored, oppressive, stressful, tight, trying, annoying, bothersome, distressing, irksome

Near Antonyms of Arduous

achievable, clear, doable, elementary, manageable, uncomplicated, comforting, gentle, painless, relaxed, smooth, soothing, accessible, friendly, idiotproof, user-friendly

Word Forms of Arduous

Derived words: arduously (adverb), arduousness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Arduous

Latin arduus high, steep, difficult; akin to Old Irish ard high

First known use: 1549

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Arduous

Frequently Asked Questions about Arduous

What does "Arduous" mean?

"Arduous" means hard to accomplish or achieve, difficult. As an adjective, it is defined as: hard to accomplish or achieve, difficult. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Arduous"?

Other words for "Arduous" include Augean, backbreaking, challenging, demanding, difficult, effortful, exacting and formidable. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Arduous" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Arduous"?

There are 77 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Arduous". Common alternatives include Augean, backbreaking, challenging, demanding, difficult, effortful, exacting, formidable, grueling and hard.

What is the opposite of "Arduous"?

Antonyms of "Arduous" include cheap, easy, effortless, facile, light, mindless, simple and soft. Near antonyms include achievable, clear, doable and elementary.

How do you use "Arduous" in a sentence?

Examples of "Arduous" in a sentence: "climbing Mount Everest is an arduous, exhausting challenge"; "the arduous task of doing the research for my term paper".

Is "Arduous" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Arduous" is an adjective.

Is "Arduous" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C2-level word, "Arduous" is typical of Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE), IELTS band 8.5–9.0, TOEFL iBT 114–120, PTE Academic 85–90. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Arduous"?

"Arduous" is pronounced /ˈär-jə-wəs/ and divided into syllables as ar·du·ous.