arduous
Hard and exhausting
Arduous describes tasks requiring sustained effort, endurance, or determination.
An arduous journey is physically demanding; an arduous negotiation is mentally exhausting.
The word implies difficulty that must be worked through over time rather than overcome in a single burst: the arduous process of learning a new language.
Hard to accomplish
- demandingRequiring great effort
- toughDurable and strong
- formidableInspiring fear or respect
- dauntingDiscouraging through difficulty
rigorous · taxing · onerous · strenuous · uphill · punishing · severe · grueling
Causing fatigue
- fatiguingCausing weariness or exhaustion
- drainingDepleting one's reserves
- wearyingCausing gradual exhaustion
- debilitatingCausing severe impairment
enervating · sapping · wearing · knackering · wearisome · grueling · relentless · marathon
Ascending by physical effort
- ascendingMoving upward
- uphillToward higher elevation
- mountainousHaving many peaks
- precipitousExtremely steep, almost vertical
treacherous · rugged · elevation · gradient · incline · scrambling · vertical · exposed
Extremely careful and thorough
- ploddingMoving slowly, heavily
- slowLacking in speed
- meticulousShowing extreme attention to detail
- drawn-outExtended beyond normal duration
protracted · lengthy · time-consuming · monotonous · repetitive · wearisome · ponderous · slogging
challenging
Hard to accomplish
- demandingRequiring great effort
- toughDurable and strong
- formidableInspiring fear or respect
daunting · rigorous · taxing · onerous · strenuous · uphill · punishing · severe · grueling · backbreaking
tiring
Causing fatigue
- fatiguingCausing weariness or exhaustion
- drainingDepleting one's reserves
- wearyingCausing gradual exhaustion
debilitating · enervating · sapping · wearing · knackering · wearisome · grueling · relentless · marathon · prolonged
climbing
Ascending by physical effort
- ascendingMoving upward
- uphillToward higher elevation
- mountainousHaving many peaks
precipitous · treacherous · rugged · elevation · gradient · incline · scrambling · vertical · exposed · switchback
painstaking
Extremely careful and thorough
- ploddingMoving slowly, heavily
- slowLacking in speed
- meticulousShowing extreme attention to detail
drawn-out · protracted · lengthy · time-consuming · monotonous · repetitive · wearisome · ponderous · slogging · methodical
- difficultyeasy, medium, difficult, moderate, simple
- exhaustingdraining, taxing, tiring, exhausting, fatiguing
- SAT vocabularyaesthetic, ambiguous, benevolent, candid, concise
- challengeschallenge, difficult, challenging, tough, obstacle
- intensity levelshigh, low, moderate, medium, intense
- tedioustedious, tiresome, wearisome, boring, monotonous