arduous
arduous
Pronunciation
arduous
/ˈɑːrdʒuəs/
ar-: /ˈɑːr/ (as in "are") - Rhoticized open-mid back unrounded vowel /ɑːr/
du-: /dʒu/ (as in "Jew") - Voiced palato-alveolar affricate /dʒ/ followed by close back rounded vowel /u/
ous: /əs/ (as in "us") - Schwa /ə/ followed by voiceless alveolar fricative /s/
Word Form Variations
The word "arduous" is primarily an adjective. Its variations are:
Adjective: arduous
Adverb: arduously
Noun: arduousness
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Adjective
arduous
Requiring great effort, exertion, or endurance; extremely difficult and demanding.
Synonyms: laborious, strenuous, grueling, taxing, demanding, difficult, uphill
Antonyms: easy, simple, effortless, facile, light
Characterized by a steep and challenging ascent; physically difficult to traverse.
Synonyms: steep, difficult, grueling (referring to a path or journey)
Antonyms: gentle, easy, flat
Adverb
arduously
In a way that requires great effort or is very difficult; with much toil.
Synonyms: laboriously, strenuously, painstakingly, assiduously, diligently
Antonyms: easily, effortlessly, simply
Noun
arduousness
The quality or state of being arduous; the difficulty or demanding nature of something.
Synonyms: difficulty, strenuousness, laboriousness, demandingness, gruel
Antonyms: ease, simplicity, effortlessness
Examples of Use
Books: "The journey to the summit was arduous, but the view from the top made every step worthwhile." (Jon Krakauer, Into Thin Air, 1997)
Newspapers: "Negotiations for the new trade agreement proved arduous, with several sticking points requiring extensive discussion." ( The Wall Street Journal, March 2024)
Online Publications: "Developing sustainable energy solutions is an arduous task, requiring significant investment and technological innovation." ( MIT Technology Review, January 2025)
Entertainment Mediums (Film Review): "While visually stunning, the film's pacing was at times arduous, making it a challenge to stay fully engaged." (Rotten Tomatoes review of Dune: Part Two, March 2024)
Entertainment Platforms (Video Game Description): "Embark on an arduous quest through desolate lands, facing formidable foes and unraveling ancient mysteries." (Description for Elden Ring on Steam, 2022)
General Public Discourse (Political Speech): "Building a more equitable society is an arduous but necessary undertaking, one that demands the commitment of all citizens." (Excerpt from a political address, June 2024)
General Public Discourse (Fitness Blog): "Training for a marathon is an arduous process, but consistency and proper nutrition will help you cross the finish line." (Fitness blog post, April 2024)
Academic Journal: "The arduous process of peer review ensures the rigor and quality of scientific publications." (Nature, November 2023)
10 Famous Quotes Using Arduous
"Peace is not only better than war, but infinitely more arduous." (George Bernard Shaw)
"The true test of a leader is whether his followers will adhere to his cause from their own volition, enduring the most arduous hardships without being forced to do so, and remaining steadfast in the moments of greatest peril." (Xenophon)
"True contentment is a thing as active as agriculture. It is the power of getting out of any situation all that there is in it. It is arduous and it is rare." (Gilbert K. Chesterton)
"There is so much work to working that there are moments, moments, where I stop and look around, and it seems too arduous to go on. It isn't, of course." (Diane Arbus)
"On receiving from the people the sacred trust twice confided on my illustrious predecessor, and which he has discharged so faithfully and so well, I know that I can not expect to perform the arduous task with equal ability and success." (Martin Van Buren)
"I find that arduous physical labor can jump-start my thought process." (Jane Fonda)
"A man who dreads trials and difficulties cannot become a revolutionary. If he is to become a revolutionary with an indomitable fighting spirit, he must be tempered in the arduous struggle from his youth1." (Kim Jong Il)
"In our fast-food nation, we tend to think that the intellectual life, like everything else, can be had pre-chewed and in bulk just for the asking. But that attitude is a grievous insult to the people who spend their lives earning the respect of their literary peers and versing themselves in the arduous ways of their trade." (Norah Vincen2t)
"I attempt an arduous task; but there is no worth in that which is not a difficult achievement." (Ovid)
"Writing a first novel was an arduous crash course. I learned so much in the six years it took me to write it, mostly technical things pertaining to craft." (Rachel Kushner)
Etymology
Let's break down the etymology of "arduous" in simple terms.
The word "arduous" comes to us from Latin. It's derived from the Latin word "arduus," which means "steep," "difficult to climb," or "high." You can almost picture a challenging mountain climb when you hear that root!
So, the original meaning of "arduous" was very much tied to physical difficulty, especially going uphill.
Over time, the meaning broadened. When it first entered the English language in the mid-16th century (around the 1540s or 1550s), its primary meaning was still about being "steep" or "difficult to ascend."
However, it quickly began to be used in a more figurative sense to describe anything that required great effort, toil, or perseverance – not just physical climbs, but also difficult tasks, challenges, or undertakings.
So, in essence, it started with the idea of a tough physical ascent and evolved to mean anything that's tough to get through, whether physically or mentally.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Arduous
Phrases and Idioms:
An arduous climb: Refers to a physically demanding ascent, but often used metaphorically for a difficult journey or process.
An arduous task: A job or responsibility requiring great effort and perseverance.
An arduous journey/undertaking: A difficult or challenging trip or enterprise.
The arduous path: A metaphor for a difficult course of action or life's challenges.
Through arduous effort: Indicating that something was achieved by significant hard work.
An uphill battle: (Idiom using a synonym for similar effect) – A struggle in which great effort is required to overcome difficulties.
To bite the bullet: (Idiom for enduring something difficult, similar to facing an arduous situation) – To face a difficult or unpleasant situation with courage.
To be in a tight spot: (Idiom for a difficult situation) – To be in a difficult or embarrassing situation.
To face a steep challenge: (Phrase using a synonym for similar effect) – To confront a very difficult obstacle or task.
A grueling test: (Phrase using a synonym for similar effect) – A very demanding and exhausting examination or trial.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of arduous from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
