adj · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/ˈbɜː.dən.səm/
Canada, General-American:/ˈbɝ.dən.səm/
Australian:/ˈbɜː.dən.səm/
Australian:[ˈbɜː.ɾən.səm]
QueenslandRecorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
New-Zealand:/ˈbøː.dən.səm/
CMU ARPABET:B ER1 D AH0 N S AH0 M
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Characteristic of a burden; arduous or demanding
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adjective satellite
Meaning 2
not easily borne; wearing
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the burdensome task of preparing the income tax return
my duties weren't onerous; I only had to greet the guests
a taxing schedule
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: onerous, taxing
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From burden + -some.
Across languages
Translations
51 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
тежък
(težǎk)
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Bulgarian:
труден
(truden)
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Bulgarian:
обременяващ
(obremenjavašt)
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Catalan:
gravós
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Estonian:
koormav
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Finnish:
raskas
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Finnish:
rasittava
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Finnish:
vaivalloinen
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Finnish:
hikinen
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Finnish:
rankka
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
French:
pénible
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
French:
ardu
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
French:
pesant
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
French:
fastidieux
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
French:
écrasant
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
French:
chiant
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
French:
casse-cul
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
French:
prise de tête
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
French:
emmerdant
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
German:
beschwerlich
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
German:
belastend
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Gothic:
𐌺𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌿𐍃
(kaurus)
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Ancient Greek:
ἀχθεινός
(akhtheinós)
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Hawaiian:
hoʻokua
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Hindi:
बोझिल
(bojhil)
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Irish:
tuirsiúil
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Irish:
tónáisteach
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Italian:
gravoso
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Italian:
oneroso
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Italian:
ostico
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Latin:
onerōsus
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Middle English:
hevysum
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Norwegian Bokmål:
byrdefull
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Norwegian Nynorsk:
børefull
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Norwegian Nynorsk:
byrdefull
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Polish:
uciążliwy
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Portuguese:
exigente
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Russian:
обременительный
(obremenitelʹnyj)
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Russian:
тягостный
(tjagostnyj)
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Russian:
тяжёлый
(tjažólyj)
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Russian:
тя́жкий
(tjážkij)
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Spanish:
pesado
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Spanish:
penoso
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Spanish:
fastidioso
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Spanish:
puñeta
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Spanish:
dispendioso
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Spanish:
cargoso
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Spanish:
gravoso
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Ukrainian:
обтя́жливий
(obtjážlyvyj)
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Welsh:
beichus
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding
Welsh:
llethol
— of or like a burden; arduous or demanding