arduous — English Dictionary

Adjective

1. Needing or using up much energy; testing powers of endurance.

   Examples

   The movement towards a peaceful settlement has been a long and arduous political struggle.

   More examples (2)

   The slave-labour camps proliferated and became an important factor in the state economy, especially in regions where conditions were most arduous, as in the mines and forests of Siberia.

   Chelsea survived and can now turn their attentions to the Champions League final against Bayern Munich in Germany later this month as they face an increasingly arduous task to finish in the Premier League's top four.

2. burning; ardent

   Usage

   • Obsolete

   Examples

   1805-1814, Dante, Henry Francis Cary (translator), The Divine Comedy Where flames the arduous Spirit of Isidore.

3. Difficult or exhausting to traverse.

   Examples

   Beyond the river, an arduous slope rises 3286 feet in 13 miles.

   Mike looked up from the arduous mountain trail. They'd been climbing for five hours and he was beginning to feel irritable.

   More examples (1)

   Survivor reaches as many as 28 million viewers who watch contestants win a new Pontiac or guzzle Mountain Dew after scaling an arduous cliff.

Adjective

1. characterized by effort to the point of exhaustion; especially physical effort

   Synonyms

   backbreakinggruelinggruellinghardheavylaboriousoperosepunishingtoilsome

   Examples

   worked their arduous way up the mining valley

   a grueling campaign

   More examples (5)

   hard labor

   heavy work

   heavy going

   spent many laborious hours on the project

   set a punishing pace

2. taxing to the utmost; testing powers of endurance

   Synonyms

   strainingstrenuous

   Examples

   his final, straining burst of speed

   a strenuous task

3. difficult to accomplish; demanding considerable mental effort and skill

   Examples

   the arduous work of preparing a dictionary