arduous
AH-dyoo-uhs
Arduous (adjective) means requiring great effort or endurance; difficult and tiring. Example: “The climb to the summit was long and arduous.”
adjective
1
Requiring great effort or endurance; difficult and tiring.
"The climb to the summit was long and arduous."
"Recovering from surgery proved to be an arduous process."
How to use arduous
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishVery hard work that takes a lot of effort and stamina to get through.
Common pairings
arduous journey
arduous task
arduous climb
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more arduous
- Superlative
- most arduous
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The climb to the summit was long and _____.
Etymology
From Latin arduus, "steep, high, difficult," related to an old word for "high."
Synonyms
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grueling
backbreaking
burdensome
demanding
exhausting
fatiguing
laborious
onerous
strenuous
strugglesome
wearisome
uphill
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for arduous
See all rhymes for arduous →Frequently asked questions
What does “arduous” mean?
The word “arduous” means requiring great effort or endurance; difficult and tiring. In plain terms, very hard work that takes a lot of effort and stamina to get through.
How do you pronounce “arduous”?
“Arduous” is pronounced AH-dyoo-uhs (/ˈɑɹ.d͡ʒu.əs/ in IPA).
How do you use “arduous” in a sentence?
Here is “arduous” used in a sentence: “The climb to the summit was long and arduous.”
What is another word for “arduous”?
Words with a similar meaning to “arduous” include burdensome, demanding, exhausting, fatiguing, laborious and onerous.
What part of speech is “arduous”?
“Arduous” is an adjective.
Where does the word “arduous” come from?
The word “arduous” comes from Latin. From Latin arduus, "steep, high, difficult," related to an old word for "high.".
Is “arduous” a common word?
“Arduous” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C2 level.
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