laden
Americanadjective
verb (used with object)
verb
adjective
-
weighed down with a load; loaded
-
encumbered; burdened
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of laden
Explanation
Something that is laden is weighted down by something heavy, like an apple tree that's laden with fruit. Laden comes from the Old English word hladan, meaning "to load, heap." Think of the related word ladle, a big scoop you dip into something, such as soup or hot fudge. Laden can be a verb that describes using a ladle or otherwise filling or loading something up, like a teacher who ladens students with homework. Laden can be an adjective that describes the feeling of burden or stress from all that work.
Vocabulary lists containing laden
"The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe
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"Of Mice and Men"
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NAEP Test Words
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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.
Fully laden massive oil tankers, or Very Large Crude Carriers, also cannot transit through the Panama Canal due to size constraints.
From MarketWatch • May 15, 2026
Long lines of heavy vehicles laden with shipping containers are now a regular sight on the highway.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026
Saturday's festivities outside and inside parliament are laden with symbolism, featuring flags and music that pays tribute to Hungary's EU membership, its sizeable Roma minority and ethnic Hungarians in neighbouring countries.
From Barron's • May 9, 2026
A doctor only once questioned her behaviour when she arrived for an appointment laden with shopping bags.
From BBC • May 1, 2026
Before the altar, which was laden with offerings for the ancestors, Grandfather sat, telling stories to the very old and the very young.
From "In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson" by Bette Bao Lord
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.
