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?

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How to use burden in a sentence?

1. Thomas à Kempis:

   Love feels no burden, thinks nothing of trouble, attempts what is above its strength.... It is therefore able to undertake all things, and it completes many things, and warrants them to take effect, where he who does not love would faint and lie down.

2. Janet Yellen:

   I think that the discomfort that households feel, it's not because of the labor market, some may worry that the... labor market will weaken, but I think the biggest burden that's weighing on household sentiment is inflation.

3. Pedro Alonso:

   The massive scale-up of mosquito control measures, diagnostic testing and quality-assured treatment has helped to dramatically reduce the global disease burden, with sustained political commitment, increased financing, and with the help of innovative new tools, we should be able to accelerate efforts even further.

4. President Barack Obama:

   I think Hillary came in with the both privilege and burden of being perceived as the front-runner.

5. Charlie Richter:

   We then aim to expand the program to all prisons, shantytowns, factories and other settings in Tanzania, Mozambique and other high TB-burden countries, as well as in high-risk groups such as those individuals living with HIV/AIDS. This will improve and save lives all over the globe at a low cost.