Synonyms for burden
ˈbɜr dnbur·den

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:5.0 / 2 votes

1. burdennoun

   A burden (from the Anglo-Saxon byrthen, from the verb beran, bear) is what one has to bear, and the word is used always of that which is borne by a living agent. A load (from the Anglo-Saxon lād, a way, course, carrying, or carriage) is what is laid upon a person, animal, or vehicle for conveyance, or what is customarily so imposed; as, a two-horse load. Weight measures the pressure due to gravity; the same weight that one finds a moderate load when in his full strength becomes a heavy burden in weariness or weakness. A ship's load is called distinctively a cargo, or it may be known as freight or lading. Freight denotes merchandise in or for transportation and is used largely of transportation or of merchandise transported by rail, which is, in commercial language, said to be "shipped." A load to be fastened upon a horse or mule is called a pack, and the animal is known as a pack-horse or pack-mule.

   Synonyms:
   cargo, charge, clog, encumbrance, freight, incubus, lading, load, pack, weight

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:4.5 / 2 votes

1. burdennoun

   Synonyms:
   load, weight, incubus, obstruction, oppression, grief, difficulty, affliction

   Antonyms:
   ease, lightness, airiness, expedition, facility, acceleration, abjugation, liberation, lightheartedness, alleviation, assuagement, mitigation, consolation, disburdenment

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:3.0 / 2 votes

1. burden, load, encumbrance, incumbrance, onusnoun

   an onerous or difficult concern

   "the burden of responsibility"; "that's a load off my mind"

   Synonyms:
   preventive, lading, incumbrance, preventative, interference, payload, core, consignment, freight, lode, hitch, onus, gist, effect, burden, loading, hinderance, cargo, essence, encumbrance, load, shipment, hindrance, warhead

   Antonyms:
   disburden, unburden

2. load, loading, burdennoun

   weight to be borne or conveyed

   Synonyms:
   lading, incumbrance, payload, core, consignment, freight, lode, onus, gist, effect, burden, loading, cargo, essence, encumbrance, load, shipment, warhead

   Antonyms:
   disburden, unburden

3. effect, essence, burden, core, gistnoun

   the central meaning or theme of a speech or literary work

   Synonyms:
   substance, loading, perfume, meat, centre, burden, center, consequence, core, marrow, load, sum, impression, event, heart and soul, core group, upshot, effect, nub, kernel, nitty-gritty, gist, inwardness, pith, heart, nucleus, onus, essence, magnetic core, outcome, encumbrance, issue, force, incumbrance, result

   Antonyms:
   unburden, disburden

4. burdenverb

   the central idea that is expanded in a document or discourse

   Synonyms:
   incumbrance, effect, onus, loading, essence, encumbrance, gist, core, load

   Antonyms:
   disburden, unburden

5. burden, burthen, weight, weight downverb

   weight down with a load

   Synonyms:
   slant, saddle, weight, burden, weight down, burthen, angle, charge

   Antonyms:
   unburden, disburden

6. charge, saddle, burdenverb

   impose a task upon, assign a responsibility to

   "He charged her with cleaning up all the files over the weekend"

   Synonyms:
   saddle, institutionalize, buck, shoot down, commove, turn on, shoot, appoint, institutionalise, agitate, rouse, charge, consign, accuse, point, burden, file, bill, tear, level, burthen, blame, load, bear down, commit, weight, charge up, excite, lodge, weight down, send

   Antonyms:
   disburden, unburden

Matched Categories

1. • Meaning

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. burdennoun

   Synonyms:
   load, weight

2. burdennoun

   Synonyms:
   cargo, freight, lading

3. burdennoun

   Synonyms:
   incumbrance, clog, impediment, incubus, drag weight, dead weight

4. burdennoun

   Synonyms:
   chorus, refrain

5. burdenverb

   Synonyms:
   load, overload, overlay, oppress, surcharge, put a burden upon

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. burdennoun

   Synonyms:
   load, cargo, incubus, encumbrance, weight, impediment, trial, oppression, chorus, refrain

2. burdenverb

   Synonyms:
   encumber, load, surcharge, oppress

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "burden":

   load, onus, loading, burdens, charge, upload, weight, loads, cargo, uploading, instructs, workload, brunt, overhang, loaded, expense, payload, afford, pressure, borne, burden-sharing, charging, strain, tape, responsibility

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How to use burden in a sentence?

1. Chris Coons:

   It is Judge Kavanaugh who is seeking a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court, and who, I think, now bears the burden of disproving these allegations, rather than Dr. Ford and Ms. Ramirez.

2. Karl L. Schultz:

   You as members of the armed forces should not be expected to shoulder this burden.

3. Malu Dreyer:

   The pain of the mother who lost her child and her husband takes my voice away, there will never again be the laughter of the father and the child. Others who have to mourn dead feel the same way... they will have to carry this burden for the rest of their lives.

4. President Barack Obama:

   Bernie Sanders came in with the luxury of being a complete long shot and just letting loose, i think Hillary Clinton came in with the both privilege -- and burden -- of being perceived as the frontrunner... You're always looking at the bright, shiny object that people haven't seen before -- that's a disadvantage to Hillary Clinton.

5. Mario Talerico:

   I'm trying to help in every way I can, i'm doing what I can to take the logistical burden and organizational burden [off]. I'm here to help in whatever way I can and it's all because of growing up and watching her.