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

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How to use burden in a sentence?

1. John Kasich:

   If I think I can't win, I wouldn't do it because I don't want to burden my family and my friends, i raised money the old fashioned way. I go out and tell people what I think. … I'm optimistic where we are. I'm optimistic on the resources. I'm becoming more and more optimistic on the organization.

2. Charlie Richter:

   We then aim to expand the programme 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.

3. State Hillary Clinton on Saturday:

   I knew Anita as the loving mother of a wonderful seven-year old boy and the former partner of David Garten, one of my senior policy advisors in the Senate, my prayers are with the Datar and Garten families, especially Anita and David's son. My heart breaks thinking of the burden he will now bear on his small shoulders and the courage he will have to show in the days ahead.

4. Rebecca Siegel:

   But we were surprised by how fast it is happening, this report is very important because it not only provides a snapshot of the current colorectal cancer burden, but also a window to the future.

5. Mrs Messmer:

   ‘I assure you that I will do my best to tell everyone who I speak to about the play how Fritz really was. Do you actually believe that an idiot could ever become a doctor or a dentist? I don’t. Have you ever thought about why Fritz became a complainer during the hiding period? Until the betrayal, you and the van Pels family were all together and could share your burden. Fritz was a stranger among you. Certainly you must have known how much he worried about his wife. He was all alone.’