burdensome
adjective
bur·den·some ˈbər-dᵊn-səm 
: imposing or constituting a burden : oppressive
burdensome restrictions
Synonyms
- bitter
- brutal
- cruel
- excruciating
- grievous
- grim
- hard
- hardhanded
- harsh
- heavy
- inhuman
- murderous
- onerous
- oppressive
- rough
- rugged
- searing
- severe
- stiff
- tough
- trying
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
The responsibility has become burdensome. the burdensome living conditions that the early settlers had to endure
Recent Examples on the Web The application fees can be burdensome, discouraging some renters from conducting a wide search and adding to the challenge of finding an affordable home. 
Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2022 Text messages are less burdensome on a network compared with calls or streaming data. Thomas Gryta, WSJ, 26 Aug. 2022 Loud, poor and often older, they were seen as burdensome to their communities at a time when silence was viewed as a virtue—and an indicator of feminine modesty. Katie Dancey-downs, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 July 2022 Yet, many studies have found that medical care of the dying is unnecessarily prolonged, expensive, and emotionally burdensome to both patients and their families. Sophie Okolo, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2021 Travel to such places can be burdensome for many women, financially or otherwise. Elizabeth Chuck, NBC News, 30 June 2022 And that aspect of it was kind of burdensome and dysfunctional—the scholar side of it. Erik Morse, Vogue, 28 June 2022 But rising food costs, and the challenges of finding passionate employees, have been burdensome, Raskin said. Noah Sheidlower And Radhika Marya, CNN, 7 Nov. 2021 Trump’s suit seeks to invalidate the entirety of the congressional request, calling it overly broad, unduly burdensome and a challenge to separation of powers. Time, 20 Oct. 2021 See More
Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2022 Text messages are less burdensome on a network compared with calls or streaming data. Thomas Gryta, WSJ, 26 Aug. 2022 Loud, poor and often older, they were seen as burdensome to their communities at a time when silence was viewed as a virtue—and an indicator of feminine modesty. Katie Dancey-downs, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 July 2022 Yet, many studies have found that medical care of the dying is unnecessarily prolonged, expensive, and emotionally burdensome to both patients and their families. Sophie Okolo, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2021 Travel to such places can be burdensome for many women, financially or otherwise. Elizabeth Chuck, NBC News, 30 June 2022 And that aspect of it was kind of burdensome and dysfunctional—the scholar side of it. Erik Morse, Vogue, 28 June 2022 But rising food costs, and the challenges of finding passionate employees, have been burdensome, Raskin said. Noah Sheidlower And Radhika Marya, CNN, 7 Nov. 2021 Trump’s suit seeks to invalidate the entirety of the congressional request, calling it overly broad, unduly burdensome and a challenge to separation of powers. Time, 20 Oct. 2021 See More Word History
First Known Use
1578, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
burdensome
adjective
bur·den·some ˈbər-dᵊn-səm
: so heavy or hard to take as to be a burden
burdensome
adjective
1
as in oppressive
difficult to endure the burdensome living conditions that the early settlers had to endure Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- oppressive
- harsh
- tough
- onerous
- searing
- severe
- brutal
- hard
- rough
- trying
- cruel
- painful
- heavy
- grim
- excruciating
- grievous
- inhuman
- murderous
- bitter
- rugged
- bleak
- stiff
- uncomfortable
- unbearable
- unpleasant
- forbidding
- strict
- stringent
- rigorous
- overwhelming
- spartan
- inhospitable
- austere
- hardhanded
- discomforting
- agonizing
- intolerable
- insupportable
- bad
- crushing
- comfortless
- intemperate
- inclement
- tortuous
- insufferable
- disagreeable
- hostile
- grinding
- unendurable
- biting
- heartbreaking
- unfriendly
- wearing
- wretched
- harrowing
- heartrending
- wild
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- easy
- light
- soft
- pleasant
- agreeable
- luxurious
- comfortable
- friendly
- hospitable
- cozy
- tolerable
- bearable
- peaceful
- genial
- painless
- restful
- relaxing
- moderate
- mild
- gentle
- endurable
- snug
- calm
- temperate
- reposeful
- balmy
- clement
2
as in challenging
requiring much time, effort, or careful attention the burdensome task of finishing the tax return Synonyms & Similar Words
- challenging
- difficult
- demanding
- onerous
- taxing
- arduous
- laborious
- tough
- grueling
- toilsome
- hard
- exacting
- killing
- gruelling
- formidable
- oppressive
- strenuous
- testing
- persnickety
- herculean
- rigorous
- stringent
- stiff
- severe
- trying
- rigid
- strict
- rugged
- rough
- stern
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- undemanding
- light
- unchallenging
- easy
- simple
- nondemanding
- effortless
- smooth
- facile
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of burdensome are exacting, onerous, and oppressive. While all these words mean "imposing hardship," burdensome suggests causing mental as well as physical strain.
burdensome responsibilities
The words exacting and burdensome are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, exacting implies rigor or sternness rather than tyranny or injustice in the demands made or in the one demanding.
an exacting employer
The words onerous and burdensome can be used in similar contexts, but onerous stresses being laborious and heavy especially because distasteful.
the onerous task of cleaning up the mess
While the synonyms oppressive and burdensome are close in meaning, oppressive implies extreme harshness or severity in what is imposed.
the oppressive tyranny of a police state
- frontal plate
- frontal shield
- frontaler
- frontalest
- frontalities
- frontality
- frontaller
- frontallest
- frontallier
- frontalliest
- frontally
- frontals
- frontbencheres
- frontbenchers
- frontbenches
- frontbenchs
- frontcourt
- frontcourts
- fronted
- Frontenac et Palluau
- frontenis
- frontenises
- fronter
- frontest
- fronti nulla fides