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, 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, 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, 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, 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, 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

How to pronounce burden?

How to say burden in sign language?

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

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Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use burden in a sentence?

1. 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.

2. Milton Friedman:

   The burden of government is not measured by how much it taxes, but by how much it spends.

3. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell:

   We are going to make sure it is the trial lawyers, and not struggling job creators, that will need to clear a very high legal burden.

4. David Tarantino:

   We've been addressing water, sanitation, hygiene, food issues and medical has been a top priority from day 1, our idea was to ensure that medical( issues were) covered for the migrants but also protect our workforce, but also lessen the burden on the local health system.

5. Scott Walsh:

   We had the new mortgage, the new house, and two new vehicles, and it became a financial burden on both of us. That's what led to our separation.