1 arduous | Definition of arduous

arduous

adjective
ar·​du·​ous | \ ˈär-jÉ™-wÉ™s How to pronounce arduous (audio) , -dyu̇-, -jü-É™s\

Definition of arduous

1a : hard to accomplish or achieve : difficult an arduous task years of arduous training
b : marked by great labor or effort : strenuous … a life of arduous toil.— A. C. Cole
2 : hard to climb : steep an arduous path

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Other Words from arduous

arduously adverb
arduousness noun

Choose the Right Synonym for arduous

hard, difficult, arduous mean demanding great exertion or effort. hard implies the opposite of all that is easy. farming is hard work 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 arduous stresses the need of laborious and persevering exertion. the arduous task of rebuilding

Examples of arduous in a Sentence

Traveling for several days by train, stagecoach and horseback, they would reach Mariposa Grove, a stand of some 200 ancient giant sequoias, where they would rest before embarking on an arduous descent via 26 switchbacks into the valley. — Tony Perrottet, Smithsonian, July 2008 As yoga classes go, this is not an arduous one, but the students don't know that. — Richard Corliss, Time, 23 Apr. 2001 Women of middling means had the most to gain from increased consumption, for imported goods often reduced their long and arduous labor, especially in making candles and soap or in spinning and weaving cloth. — Alan Taylor, American Colonies, 2000 He went through a long and arduous training program. an arduous journey across miles of desert
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Recent Examples on the Web

Non-parties, like John Doe, will be permitted to file objections to the release of documents after an arduous review process by the court and attorneys for the parties, Judge Peska said during Wednesday's conference hearing. Elizabeth Joseph, CNN, "Hundreds of people could be implicated in Jeffrey Epstein court documents, lawyer says," 4 Sep. 2019 At the Kennedy Space Center on Friday morning, crews began the arduous process of hauling a 400-foot-tall mobile launch tower from pad 39B to inside a hulking building a few miles away for safekeeping — at about 1 mph. Washington Post, "Florida’s Atlantic Coast is preparing for a direct hit from Hurricane Dorian," 30 Aug. 2019 Meanwhile, China’s regulatory bodies only started allowing local governments to issue road-test licenses to autonomous-car companies last year, and China has only recently begun the arduous process of building compatible highway infrastructures. Echo Huang, Quartz, "China is betting on slow but steady to win the self-driving car race," 24 Aug. 2019 Undercounting comes from an arduous reporting process and other reasons, says Dr. Jeffrey Gelfand, an infectious disease specialist at MGH. Thomas Gerencer, BostonGlobe.com, "Ticks: They’re not just for hikers anymore," 23 Aug. 2019 In addition, the village went through an arduous process to get a permit from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, becoming the first tribal entity in the nation licensed to harvest energy from river water without a dam. Los Angeles Times, "Path to paradise? Alaskan village hopes to replace fossil fuel with water power," 17 Aug. 2019 Medi Bastoni began his arduous expedition on July 18 from his home on the slope of Mount Wilis, a dormant volcano in East Java province that has been affected by deforestation. Washington Post, "Indonesian walking 700 kilometers backward to save forests," 24 Aug. 2019 Ravinia has traveled an arduous path during its short life, which led it to be coy about the new space since signing a lease in April. Josh Noel, chicagotribune.com, "Long dormant Logan Square brewery finds a new resident: Ravinia Brewing," 23 Aug. 2019 Of those who live long enough to seek treatment—an arduous regimen requiring patients to undergo antibiotic injections and take up to 40 pills daily for as long as two years—just 34 percent are ultimately cured. Meilan Solly, Smithsonian, "F.D.A. Approves New Treatment for Deadliest Strain of Tuberculosis," 15 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'arduous.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of arduous

1549, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

History and Etymology for arduous

Latin arduus high, steep, difficult; akin to Old Irish ard high

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More Definitions for arduous

arduous

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of arduous

: very difficult

arduous

adjective
ar·​du·​ous | \ ˈär-jÉ™-wÉ™s How to pronounce arduous (audio) \