What Is Another Way to Say “High Maintenance”?

Looking for synonyms for high maintenance? We’ve got you covered!

Here’s a list of other ways to say high maintenance.

  • Demanding
  • Needy
  • Labor-intensive
  • Difficult
  • Upkeep-intensive
  • Challenging
  • Fussy
  • Exhausting
  • Taxing
  • Time-consuming
  • Complex
  • Troublesome
  • Burdensome
  • Cumbersome
  • Exacting
  • Rigorous
  • Intensive
  • Overbearing
  • Finicky
  • Complicated

Want to learn how to say high maintenance professionally? Keep reading for examples and use cases.

1. Demanding

Appropriate Use: Suitable for situations or tasks that require a lot of effort or attention.
Example: “Managing the new project has been quite demanding due to its scope and scale.”

2. Needy

Appropriate Use: Used for situations or individuals that require constant attention and support.
Example: “The new client is quite needy, requiring frequent updates and reassurances.”

3. Labor-intensive

Appropriate Use: Ideal for tasks that require a significant amount of manual work or effort.
Example: “The manufacturing process of our product is highly labor-intensive.”

4. Difficult

Appropriate Use: Suitable for describing tasks or people that are hard to manage or deal with.
Example: “Negotiating with that supplier is always a difficult process.”

5. Upkeep-intensive

Appropriate Use: Used for something that requires a lot of work, money, or effort to maintain.
Example: “Our older equipment is upkeep-intensive and needs regular servicing.”

6. Challenging

Appropriate Use: Ideal for situations that are demanding and require considerable skill or effort.
Example: “Working with such a diverse team can be challenging but rewarding.”

7. Fussy

Appropriate Use: Suitable for describing people or tasks that are overly particular or hard to please.
Example: “The design team is fussy about every detail of the product.”

8. Exhausting

Appropriate Use: Used for tasks or people that cause extreme tiredness or fatigue.
Example: “Handling customer complaints all day can be exhausting.”

9. Taxing

Appropriate Use: Ideal for situations that are physically or mentally demanding.
Example: “The continuous software updates are proving to be taxing for the IT team.”

10. Time-consuming

Appropriate Use: Suitable for tasks that take a lot of time to complete.
Example: “Compiling these reports is a very time-consuming job.”

11. Complex

Appropriate Use: Used for situations or tasks that are intricate and complicated.
Example: “The legal aspects of the merger are quite complex.”

12. Troublesome

Appropriate Use: Ideal for situations or people that cause problems or difficulties.
Example: “The new software integration has been troublesome for the team.”

13. Burdensome

Appropriate Use: Suitable for tasks that cause hardship or difficulty.
Example: “The extensive documentation required for compliance is burdensome.”

14. Cumbersome

Appropriate Use: Used for tasks or processes that are complicated and inefficient.
Example: “The current approval process is cumbersome and needs streamlining.”

15. Exacting

Appropriate Use: Ideal for situations that require great care, precision, and attention to detail.
Example: “Quality control in our industry is an exacting and vital task.”

16. Rigorous

Appropriate Use: Suitable for tasks or processes that are extremely thorough and demanding.
Example: “The audit process is rigorous to ensure accuracy and transparency.”

17. Intensive

Appropriate Use: Used for activities that require a lot of effort or concentration in a short period.
Example: “The training program is intensive but covers all aspects of the job.”

18. Overbearing

Appropriate Use: Ideal for describing people or tasks that are dominating and hard to handle.
Example: “The project leader’s overbearing style is causing tension within the team.”

19. Finicky

Appropriate Use: Suitable for tasks or individuals that are hard to satisfy or require very detailed attention.
Example: “The finicky nature of the calibration process requires skilled technicians.”

20. Complicated

Appropriate Use: Used for situations or systems that are complex and challenging to understand or deal with.
Example: “Navigating the various regulations in our industry is quite complicated.”

Linda Brown