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I need one word to describe a very tough task or a task which one is unwilling to do.

like in the sentence:

It's very tough to talk politely with the person who is rude to you.

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    Could you expand a bit on this, please? Tough in what way? Why are you unwilling to do it?
    – Brian Hooper
    Commented Sep 1, 2012 at 6:12
  • like in the sentence.. "Its very tough to talk politely with the person who is rude to u"
    – Sharry
    Commented Sep 1, 2012 at 6:25
  • You apparently mean a sense of the word 'tough' drawn from your native language. That way, it is possible to understand your difficulty in explaining better here. See if my answer below helps you.
    – Kris
    Commented Sep 1, 2012 at 7:11
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    Wait are you looking for a word to replace "tough" in your example sentence, or are you looking for a word for "very tough task"? They are completely different...
    – tenfour
    Commented Sep 1, 2012 at 7:22
  • like .. Can i use this sentence "its very odious to talk politely with the person who is rude to u" ?
    – Sharry
    Commented Sep 1, 2012 at 7:27

10 Answers 10

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Let's get downright crude here: It's a bitch to talk politely with a person who's rude to you. Typical idiomatic American street talk and locker room lingo. Also heard in classrooms, at sidewalk cafes, and other places where American speakers congregate and jawbone.

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If you want alternatives to tough as an attributive adjective, you can take your pick from hard, difficult, irksome, challenging, strenuous, laborious, uphill. All can be used predicatively as well, except the last.

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Arduous is the first word that comes to mind for me.

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    I think this is the perfect one.
    – Sid
    Commented Sep 1, 2012 at 18:25
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If it's tough in terms of the scale or effort required,

Herculean:

  1. Of extraordinary difficulty, might, power, size, etc.; of or relating to Hercules in size or strength.
  2. Requiring a huge amount of work, as a Herculean labour, a Herculean task.

If it's tough in terms of its unsavouriness,

odious:

  1. Arousing or meriting strong dislike, aversion, or intense displeasure.

You can find words similar to either sense by using a thesaurus.

Edit: As per the OP's comment,

Trying to talk politely with a rude person is an odious task

or, using a tamer synonym,

It is very challenging to talk politely to a person who is rude to you.

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  • like in the sentence.. "Its very tough to talk politely with the person who is rude to u" .. what word can replace "tough"
    – Sharry
    Commented Sep 1, 2012 at 6:27
  • @Anupam "odious" can be used aggressively. "Trying to talk politely with a rude person is an odious task" or using a slightly less aggressive synonym, "It is very challenging to talk politely to a person who is rude to you".
    – coleopterist
    Commented Sep 1, 2012 at 7:11
  • Thanks a lot sir.. I need this sense of sentence.. odious is an appropriate word.. Thank a lot
    – Sharry
    Commented Sep 1, 2012 at 7:16
  • So, Can i use this sentence "its very odious to talk politely with the person who is rude to u" ?
    – Sharry
    Commented Sep 1, 2012 at 7:24
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We can use "Herculean" word for the a very tough task

example we can say "a herculean task"

is another word for the same :Extremely difficult

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The first word that came to my mind was ordeal: a difficult, painful experience. Only one word and it's a noun, not an adjective.

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te·di·ous/ˈtēdēəs/ (Google)
Adjective:
Too long, slow, or dull: tiresome or monotonous: "a tedious journey".
Synonyms:
tiresome - wearisome - dull - prosy - irksome - weary

exasperating - (thefreedictionary)
ex·as·per·ate ( g-z s p -r t ). tr.v. ex·as·per·at·ed, ex·as·per·at·ing, ex·as·per·ates.
1. To make very angry or impatient; annoy greatly.

There are a few more words with a meaning on those lines.

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After your clarification, I'd suggest duty. Duty usually suggests something that is disagreeable or difficult

It is your duty as a police officer to be polite to the public.

Although it can be used for something pleasant, this is in usually in a jocular sense

It is my duty to check the quality of the beer in my local pub

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  • Thanks Sir.. But "duty" word gives something positive expression.. I want to say like if some person is abusing you and still u have to keep smiling..
    – Sharry
    Commented Sep 1, 2012 at 6:41
  • Can i use word "ridiculous" in place of "tough" ? want to give aggressive expression in my sentence
    – Sharry
    Commented Sep 1, 2012 at 6:47
  • @Anupam, perhaps you could edit your question to include two or three sentences you are thinking of using; and why you are thinking of using them. We'll get to the nub of the matter a lot faster that way.
    – Brian Hooper
    Commented Sep 1, 2012 at 7:01
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Labor. I don't know what OP is looking for exactly, as it's not clear from his question. But based on OP's question title labor seems to be the right fit. Here is what the OED has to say:

1. work, esp. hard physical work: the price of repairs includes labor and parts.

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If it is not just unpleasant, but hopeless , perhaps sisyphean

denoting a task that can never be completed.

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