ARDUOUS Synonyms: 106 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'arduous' different from other adjectives like it?

The words difficult and hard are common synonyms of arduous . While all three words mean "demanding great exertion or effort," arduous stresses the need of laborious and persevering exertion. // the arduous task of rebuilding

Q: When could 'difficult' be used to replace 'arduous'?

While in some cases nearly identical to arduous , difficult implies the presence of obstacles to be surmounted or puzzles to be resolved and suggests the need of skill or courage. // the difficult ascent of the mountain

Q: When is it sensible to use 'hard' instead of 'arduous'?

The synonyms hard and arduous are sometimes interchangeable, but hard implies the opposite of all that is easy. // farming is hard work

arduous

adjective

ˈär-jə-wəs

Definition of arduous next

as in difficult

requiring considerable physical or mental effort climbing Mount Everest is an arduous, exhausting challenge

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in challenging

requiring much time, effort, or careful attention the arduous task of doing the research for my term paper

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word arduous different from other adjectives like it?

The words difficult and hard are common synonyms of arduous. While all three words mean "demanding great exertion or effort," arduous stresses the need of laborious and persevering exertion.

the arduous task of rebuilding

When could difficult be used to replace arduous?

While in some cases nearly identical to arduous, difficult implies the presence of obstacles to be surmounted or puzzles to be resolved and suggests the need of skill or courage.

the difficult ascent of the mountain

When is it sensible to use hard instead of arduous?

The synonyms hard and arduous are sometimes interchangeable, but hard implies the opposite of all that is easy.

farming is hard work

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of arduous The production, made on a budget of $40 million during an arduous three-year shoot, was a colossal box office flop. —

Chris Morris, Variety, 16 Jan. 2025 Victims of the California wildfires have a long and arduous road ahead of them. —

Jill Schlesinger, The Mercury News, 27 Jan. 2025 From Broderick Turner: The Clippers are in the middle of their most arduous part of the regular season, playing six games in nine days — a stretch that threatens to push them to their limits. —

Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2025 The road to a title shot in the UFC can sometimes be long and arduous. —

Justin Gest, Newsweek, 20 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for arduous

Recent Examples of Synonyms for arduous

Adjective

Nevertheless, the offer could make OpenAI’s reorganization plans more difficult – and significantly more expensive.

— David Goldman, CNN, 11 Feb. 2025
The only thing that could make persuading a group of pandemic skeptics to care about an infectious-disease outbreak more difficult is your boss—the president of the United States—undercutting your raison d’être.

— Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2025