burdensome
gb/bˈɚdənsəm/ us/bˈɚdənsəm/
C1
Anglais
Sens
0 sens
adjective
formal
C1
property
1
too hard or troublesome
Too difficult or annoying to do or deal with.
Schéma d’usage :
[task/requirement/responsibility] is burdensome (for/to [someone])
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may confuse it with the noun burden; burdensome describes something that creates a burden.
Synonymes
onerous (More formal; often about duties or rules.)
|
taxing (Emphasizes how much energy it takes.)
|
demanding (Suggests high effort or high standards.)
Antonymes
manageable (Possible to handle without too much difficulty.)
|
easy (Requires little effort or trouble.)
Collocations
burdensome task
|burdensome process
|burdensome requirement
|burdensome paperwork
|burdensome obligation
|burdensome responsibility
|burdensome conditions
|burdensome procedures
|burdensome workload
|burdensome demand
Thèmes
daily_life
|work
|problems
Exemples
- The application process is burdensome and takes weeks to complete.
- She found the daily commute increasingly burdensome.
- The new reporting system is burdensome for small teams.
Exemples pédagogiques
- This homework is burdensome for me.
- The rules are burdensome to follow.
adjective
formal
C1
property
2
emotionally hard to carry
Making you feel stressed or worried for a long time.
Schéma d’usage :
[responsibility/secret/guilt] is burdensome (to [someone])
Erreur fréquente :
Often used for responsibilities or feelings, not for a person (avoid using it to label someone directly).
Synonymes
oppressive (Stronger; suggests it weighs someone down.)
|
stressful (More common and less formal.)
Antonymes
relieving (Makes you feel less worried or stressed.)
|
comforting (Gives emotional ease rather than strain.)
Collocations
burdensome responsibility
|burdensome duty
|burdensome guilt
|burdensome secret
|burdensome worry
|burdensome pressure
|burdensome expectation
|burdensome care
|burdensome commitment
|burdensome role
Thèmes
emotions
|mental_health
|relationships
Exemples
- Keeping the secret became burdensome over time.
- He stepped down because the responsibility felt too burdensome.
- The constant expectation to be available was burdensome to her.
Exemples pédagogiques
- This responsibility is burdensome.
- It is burdensome to worry all the time.
adjective
formal
C1
property
3
too expensive or costly
Too expensive; hard to pay.
Schéma d’usage :
[tax/debt/expense/cost] is burdensome (for/to [someone])
Erreur fréquente :
Not the same as 'luxurious' or 'high-quality'; it focuses on difficulty and strain.
Synonymes
costly (Neutral; focuses on high price rather than strain.)
|
punishing (Informal-leaning; stresses harsh impact (often for taxes/costs).)
Antonymes
affordable (Within a reasonable budget.)
|
inexpensive (Low in cost.)
Collocations
burdensome debt
|burdensome costs
|burdensome expense
|burdensome tax
|burdensome fees
|burdensome interest payments
|burdensome rent
|burdensome financial burden
|burdensome obligations
|burdensome price
Thèmes
money
|business
|law
Exemples
- Student loan payments can be burdensome in the first years after graduation.
- The service charges are burdensome for low-income customers.
- High heating bills were burdensome during the winter.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The rent is burdensome.
- This tax is burdensome for many families.
adjective
business
C1
property
4
too many rules or paperwork
Having too much paperwork or too many rules.
Schéma d’usage :
[regulation/policy/compliance requirement] is burdensome (for/to [someone])
Erreur fréquente :
Often used with regulations and compliance; avoid using it for simple everyday rules unless they are truly heavy or complex.
Synonymes
bureaucratic (Focuses on red tape and administrative systems.)
|
cumbersome (Emphasizes awkward complexity, not necessarily obligation.)
Antonymes
streamlined (Simplified to reduce effort and steps.)
|
efficient (Achieves results with minimal wasted effort.)
Collocations
burdensome regulations
|burdensome compliance requirements
|burdensome reporting requirements
|burdensome oversight
|burdensome documentation
|burdensome administrative requirements
|burdensome regulatory framework
|burdensome procedures
|burdensome form-filling
|burdensome bureaucracy
Thèmes
business
|government
|law
Exemples
- Small businesses argue that the regulations are burdensome and slow growth.
- The audit introduced burdensome reporting requirements for every department.
- They simplified the policy to make it less burdensome for staff.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The paperwork is burdensome.
- These regulations are burdensome for small shops.
adjective
C1
property
5
heavy and awkward to carry
So heavy that it is hard to carry.
Schéma d’usage :
[load/bag/object] is burdensome (to carry)
Erreur fréquente :
This literal sense is less common than the figurative senses; 'heavy' is usually preferred for physical weight.
Synonymes
heavy (More common and straightforward for physical weight.)
|
cumbersome (Suggests awkward shape as well as weight.)
Antonymes
light (Easy to lift or carry.)
|
portable (Designed to be carried easily.)
Collocations
burdensome load
|burdensome luggage
|burdensome bag
|burdensome equipment
|burdensome package
|burdensome box
|burdensome backpack
|burdensome to carry
|burdensome weight
|burdensome items
Thèmes
daily_life
|travel
Exemples
- The old suitcases were burdensome to carry up the stairs.
- Camping equipment can be burdensome on a long hike.
- He left some items behind because the load was burdensome.
Exemples pédagogiques
- This bag is burdensome to carry.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
burdensome
API
GB/bˈɚdənsəm/
US/bˈɚdənsəm/
Syllabes et accentuation
bur - den - some (3 syllabes)
Stress on 1st syllable (bur)
Formes du mot
Adjective
- Base: burdensome
Famille de mots
Core family
burden
noun B1
Related words
burdened
adjective
overburden
verb
Negative and opposite forms
unburden
verb
Expressions
unduly burdensome
1/ʌndˈuli bˈɚdənsəm/
fixed phrase
legal
excessively hard or demanding
Too difficult or expensive in an unfair way.
Exemples
- The judge ruled that the requirement was unduly burdensome for small providers.
- They revised the policy to ensure it would not be unduly burdensome on employees.
- The industry group argued the proposed rule would be unduly burdensome.