Word
taxing
Phoneticstax·ing, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈtæksɪŋ/
UK/tˈæksɪŋ/
Definitions
01difficult or tiring
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. describing a task that is very tiring and needs a lot of mental or physical effort.
adj. physically or mentally demanding; requiring significant effort or endurance.
“The long climb up the mountain was very taxing for the older hikers.”
“The CEO found the three-hour interrogation by the board of directors to be mentally taxing, leaving him little energy for the evening gala.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
02burdensome
C1 · Advanced Formal
adj. difficult to deal with because it puts a lot of pressure on you.
adj. burdensome or exacting in nature; often used to describe situations that strain resources or patience.
“Managing two full-time jobs proved to be a taxing lifestyle for the young couple.”
“The new regulatory requirements imposed a taxing administrative burden on small businesses that lacked dedicated legal departments.”
03imposing a tax
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Law Technical
n. the act of a government collecting money from people or businesses.
n. the act or process of imposing a tax on a population or on specific goods.
“The taxing of luxury goods helped the city pay for the new park.”
“Economists debated whether the taxing of carbon emissions would be sufficient to drive a nationwide shift toward renewable energy sources.”
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“Neither was the World Cup qualification group too taxing.” “They welcome a definition broad enough to take in hundreds of new planets, as taxing as that might be for children and their wallcharts.” Etymology
Compare typologically Russian мыта́рство (mytárstvo) (< мы́тарь (mýtarʹ, “publican (tax collector)”)).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- 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.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL 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: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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