To call something arduous is to emphasize how much labor or effort it requires, or to call attention to how time consuming and tedious it is. An arduous task, for instance, is one that takes a long time to complete and is generally unpleasant to perform. An arduous journey is one that presents many perils and difficulties and requires great perseverance.

To consider something is to think about it, especially in order to make a decision. To contemplate something is to give it continued attention in a calm, reflective manner. This verb suggests an internal gazing or meditative state similar to the verbs muse and ponder. While the act of contemplation may certainly inform decisions, the verb often wanders free, untethered to aims or outcomes.

To contend is to earnestly dispute or strive in debate. It is to assert your position or beliefs in a determined and perhaps even competitive manner. This term is commonly used in legal contexts, for instance, to talk about the assertions that lawyers, defendants, and plaintiffs make in a case. One of the most common uses of this verb, however, deviates from this meaning slightly: to contend with something, as in families contending with remote learning, is to grapple with it—not dispute it.