Word
burdensome
Phoneticsbur·den·some, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈbɝdənsəm/
UK/bˈɜːdənsˌʌm/
Definition
adj. causing a lot of worry, trouble, or physical weight. You use this to describe things that are hard to carry or hard to deal with.
adj. causing a heavy load or a significant amount of worry and trouble. Often used to describe legal obligations, physical weights, or administrative tasks.
Examples
“The new tax laws are burdensome for small businesses.”
“The heavy backpack became burdensome after hours of hiking through the mountain trail.”
“The legal team argued that the proposed regulations would be burdensome for local farmers, potentially stifling the industry's growth and innovation.”
Examples
simple
“The new tax laws are burdensome for small businesses.”
contextual
“The heavy backpack became burdensome after hours of hiking through the mountain trail.”
complex
“The legal team argued that the proposed regulations would be burdensome for local farmers, potentially stifling the industry's growth and innovation.”
Real-World Examples
“Some researchers also advocate for paying peer reviewers, though others worry that the practice would increase the burdensome publication fees researchers already face.” “And that’s because campaigning anywhere for any office at any level of government is personally burdensome, as we show in our book.” Etymology
From burden + -some.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/burdensome