1
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
climbing Mount Everest is an arduous, exhausting challenge
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2
as in challenging
requiring much time, effort, or careful attention
the arduous task of doing the research for my term paper
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Recent Examples of arduous
The prevalence of metastasis belies the arduous journey that cancer cells must make to achieve it.
—
Amber Dance, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Apr. 2025
If you're still bothered by the arduous manual lawn mowing work, the Redkey MGC500/MGC1000 Intelligent Lawn Mower Robot is your best choice!
—New Atlas, 25 Mar. 2025
The path to reclaiming a division title is arduous, but not impossible.
—Matt Gelb, The Athletic, 24 Mar. 2025
Undoing regulations of any sort—lawfully, at any rate—is an arduous and time-consuming process.
—Elizabeth Kolbert, The New Yorker, 23 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for arduous
Amber Dance, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Apr. 2025
If you're still bothered by the arduous manual lawn mowing work, the Redkey MGC500/MGC1000 Intelligent Lawn Mower Robot is your best choice!
—New Atlas, 25 Mar. 2025
The path to reclaiming a division title is arduous, but not impossible.
—Matt Gelb, The Athletic, 24 Mar. 2025
Undoing regulations of any sort—lawfully, at any rate—is an arduous and time-consuming process.
—Elizabeth Kolbert, The New Yorker, 23 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for arduous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arduous
Adjective
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Third, operational command of Kamikaze planes is difficult because results cannot be evaluated with any accuracy.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2025
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Instead, the major drama comes in the form of Ivy’s corruption by her acting coach, as Ivy gradually goes method and becomes as difficult to work with as Marilyn was (one of this musical’s many meta moments).—
Christian Lewis,
Variety,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Despite a challenging period for many luxury labels, in October, reports indicated LOEWE’s sales had increased 27.5% YoY. In March, long-time Creative Director Jonathan Anderson left the label, and Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez were appointed.—
Seth Matlins,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
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Deriving the mesoscopic from the microscopic, on the other hand, has been much more mathematically challenging.—
Jack Murtagh,
Scientific American,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Over the next two years, Muhammad rang up five more victories against progressively tougher competition.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
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On the other side, the Grizzlies had an even tougher time with Curry, who finished with 52 points on 16-of-31 shooting.—
Anthony Slater,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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In the last two decades, the number of hospitals and diagnostic centers has already increased sixfold, and there’s room for many more, particularly those that value quality, which patients are increasingly demanding and becoming aware of.—
Sylvana Quader Sinha,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
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In making such a claim, Bonhoeffer moved the aim of conscience away from obedience to rational principles and to the more demanding and concrete love for God and one’s living, breathing, suffering neighbor.—
David DeCosse,
Mercury News,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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That’s the cost of such rigorous theming: Since you’re supposed to be inside a game, anything that gets in the way of that illusion is banned.—
Todd Anderson,
New York Times,
5 Apr. 2025
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To receive autism certification through Autism Double Checked, staff at participating properties go through rigorous training on how to best support their autistic guests, such as how to adapt a menu for a picky eater and how to avoid strongly scented cleaning products.—
Jamie Davis Smith,
AFAR Media,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Sandoval has received some pay bumps, including a temporary $10,000-a-year bonus for Hawaii special education teachers designed to alleviate shortages in that and other hard-to-staff areas.—
Alia Wong,
USA TODAY,
14 Feb. 2023
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Whether those numbers are an overstatement, or possibly an understatement, is hard to say.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes,
13 Feb. 2023
Adjective
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Wang has $106,000 in independent support, the majority of it from Empower Oakland, a nonprofit co-founded by mayoral candidate Loren Taylor that has emerged as a formidable funding arm in the city’s politics.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
13 Apr. 2025
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Cornyn is considered a formidable fundraiser; he’s brought in more than $415 million during his time in the Senate.—
Julia Manchester,
The Hill,
11 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Arduous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arduous. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.
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