burden
1 Americannoun
-
that which is carried; load.
a horse's burden of rider and pack.
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that which is borne with difficulty; obligation; onus.
the burden of leadership.
- Synonyms:
- impediment, encumbrance, weight
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Nautical.
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the weight of a ship's cargo.
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the carrying capacity of a ship.
-
-
Mining. overburden.
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Metallurgy. the minerals charged into a blast furnace or steelmaking furnace.
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Accounting. overhead.
noun
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something that is carried; load
-
something that is exacting, oppressive, or difficult to bear
the burden of responsibility
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nautical
-
the cargo capacity of a ship
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the weight of a ship's cargo
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verb
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(sometimes foll by up) to put or impose a burden on; load
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to weigh down; oppress
the old woman was burdened with cares
noun
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a line of words recurring at the end of each verse of a ballad or similar song; chorus or refrain
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the principal or recurrent theme of a speech, book, etc
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another word for bourdon
Synonym Usage
See load.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
burdensimple
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burdenssimple
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have burdenedperfect
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has burdenedperfect
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am burdeningprogressive
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are burdeningprogressive
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is burdeningprogressive
-
have been burdeningperfect progressive
-
has been burdeningperfect progressive
Past
-
burdenedsimple
-
had burdenedperfect
-
was burdeningprogressive
-
were burdeningprogressive
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had been burdeningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of burden1
First recorded before 1000; Middle English, birthen, birden, Old English byrthen; akin to German Bürde, Gothic baurthei; see also bear 1
Origin of burden2
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English bordoun, burdoun “drone, bass,” from Old French bourdon “droning sound, instrument making such a sound”
Explanation
Getting hired as the assistant to a pastry chef seemed like a dream come true. But one week and 100 cupcakes later, it’s become a hard-to-bear burden accompanied by a permanent stomachache. Burden is one of those words that doubles as a noun and a verb. Defined as something you carry or withstand with much difficulty when used as a noun, and as the act of weighing down, overloading, or oppressing when used as a verb, it’s a word with a negative charge. Now that you know what it means, you’re equipped to make sure you don’t take on unnecessary burdens (getting pressured into always carrying your neighbor’s groceries upstairs), or become one yourself!
Vocabulary lists containing burden
"Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare, Act I
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"The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe
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The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“This complements our owned and colocated portfolio while reducing the capital burden of adding capacity for customers,” Volozh noted.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 12, 2026
The prime minister and chancellor will face pressure to use the upcoming Budget on 28 October to ease the financial burden on households and businesses.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
And parents feel that burden even more so today.
From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026
"The burden of seeking truth and justice should rest on the system," she said.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
Shackleton the improviser believed that it was foolish to burden themselves with equipment for every possible emergency.
From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong
“These are significant cost-shifting burdens for seniors,” Richtman told me.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026
"History has had its conflicts, but we should not carry those burdens forever. We should enjoy life".
From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026
Sato said Tuesday that, generally speaking, a weaker yen boosts exporters’ profits and inbound tourism, while it adds burdens on households and smaller businesses by increasing import costs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026
While these criticisms are valid, many of these issues — particularly heavy debt burdens — also apply to China, Japan and many European nations.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 28, 2026
Then shouldering their burdens, they set off, seeking a path that would bring them over the grey hills of the Emyn Muil, and down into the Land of Shadow.
From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien
“The real purpose of them is not to be burdened with healthcare costs in retirement,” said Steve Azoury, a financial adviser and owner of Azoury Financial.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 31, 2026
I’m not looking for a man who feels burdened by the effort.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
Though easing gasoline prices provided some relief, respondents continue to feel burdened by inflation.
From Barron's ● Jun. 21, 2026
And a team that is burdened by his desire to be at the centre of everything.
From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026
I had seen beauty, but the beauty had burdened me with responsibility.
From "Bless Me, Ultima" by Rudolfo Anaya
According to City Journal, data centers generate nearly half of the county’s tax revenue, often without burdening residents.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
“A life-insurance policy can be specifically purchased to provide a cash payout to the non-business child, effectively equalizing their inheritance without burdening the business or the child taking it over,” it says.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 6, 2026
Actor-filmmaker Aamir Khan slammed stars for burdening producers with these costs.
From Barron's ● Dec. 22, 2025
Yoder built on that newer precedent in holding that laws substantially burdening religious exercise must be strictly scrutinized by the courts.
From Slate ● Jul. 1, 2025
Based on numbers, it has a limitless complexity to engage the ingenuity and creativity of its adherents, without burdening them with the need for validation or testing.
From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
