arduo

arduous, very difficult

adjective AHR-dwoh Rare

Origin: Latin arduus (steep, high)

Also means

steep, hard to climb

Usage Note

Arduo is slightly more formal than difficile and carries a sense of physical or moral challenge requiring great effort. It is invariable for gender: un compito arduo, una sfida ardua. In everyday speech Italians often use difficile or faticoso instead.

Examples

"Superare quel percorso è stato arduo."

Natural Translation

Getting through that route was arduous.

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