time-consuming

comparative more time-consuming · superlative most time-consuming

1. Using significant amounts of time, especially in an unwanted and sometimes unwarranted manner.

   The de minimis exemption, as it’s known, allowed shipments of goods worth $800 or less to come into the United States duty-free, often more or less skipping time-consuming inspections and paperwork.

   2025 May 2, Elisabeth Buchwald and Ramishah Maruf, “A massive tariff on millions of Americans’ purchases just went into effect — cue the chaos”, in CNN

   2 more examples

   However, given current sensibilities about individual privacy and data protection, the recording of oral data is becoming increasingly onerous for researchers who are obliged to navigate an often time-consuming and complex series of administrative requirements and corollary review processes in order to be granted ethics clearance.

   2019, Li Huang, James Lambert, “Another Arrow for the Quiver: A New Methodology for Multilingual Researchers”, in Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, →DOI, page 11

   The aluminothermic method generates extreme heat using a chemical reaction, and melts both rail ends creating a bond using liquid metal. It's a time-consuming process and requires highly skilled railway engineers to carry it out.

   2026 March 18, Peter Plisner, “Tackling broken rails: the skills and technology improving safety”, in RAIL, number 1057, page 29

   Synonyms: chronophagous, time-intensive, time-taking