burdensome
Americanadjective
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oppressively heavy; onerous.
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distressing; troublesome.
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Nautical. having a full hull form, as a merchant vessel built for capacity rather than speed.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of burdensome
Explanation
Something that's burdensome is very difficult or tiring. It's better to weed your garden regularly, rather than put it off until it becomes an exhausting, burdensome task. Some summer jobs are easy and relaxing, like your laid-back dog walking business — other jobs are much more burdensome, like babysitting a large family of kids or lifeguarding at a pool where people keep nearly drowning. Something that's a burden, a physical load or a duty that weighs heavily on you, is burdensome. The Proto-Indo-European root means "to bear" or "to carry," and also "to give birth."
Vocabulary lists containing burdensome
Unit 3: Compelling Evidence
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Ungifted
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Government guidance says the duty should "always be applied in a proportionate way" depending on the circumstances of the case and that organisations should avoid an "overly bureaucratic and burdensome approach".
From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026
In December, Finra proposed new provisions to replace the rule, calling it outdated and overly burdensome.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026
“My Administration must act with the Congress to ensure that there is a minimally burdensome national standard—not 50 discordant State ones,” wrote President Donald Trump in a December executive order External link.
From Barron's • May 26, 2026
However, the incident prompted a backlash, becoming a rallying cry over L.A.’s burdensome filming bureaucracy.
From Los Angeles Times • May 17, 2026
Oppie judged that Ernest would never have the freedom there that he had at Berkeley, and he guessed that his friend would find the duties of a dean burdensome.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
