loaded

1 of 2

adjective

load·​ed ˈlō-dəd 

1

: carrying a load

a loaded freight train

: such as

a

: containing an explosive charge

a loaded warhead

: having bullets inside

a loaded handgun

b

of a camera : having film inside

2

informal : having a large amount of something

a store loaded with goods

a report loaded with errors

: such as

a

: having a large amount of money : wealthy

She left them a fortune and the family is now loaded.

b

: equipped with an abundance of features

a fully loaded car

c

: filled or topped with many things

a loaded baked potato

d

: featuring a great amount of top-level talent

a basketball team with a loaded roster

a loaded competition

3

chiefly US slang : intoxicated by alcohol or drugs

especially : drunk

They got loaded at the party.

… no matter how loaded he got, Billy did his drinking at home and always put the cans in the recycling bin …

—Stephen King

4

a

: carrying a hidden or secondary meaning that is capable of causing unease

Because "asylum" is a loaded term, it can draw attention to crucial issues facing vulnerable Americans, but it also tends to foreclose discussion of real solutions.

—The New York Times

"You tell me," Cora said. "Do you think I had a therapist?" Aaron's mouth fell open. That was a loaded question. Any answer would be wrong.

—Parnell Hall

b

: weighted to favor a specific outcome

loaded dice

(figurative) … the dice of life are loaded in favor of first borns in ways they simply aren't for any siblings who come along later.

—Jeffrey Kluger

loaded

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of load entry 2

Synonyms

Adjective

• brimful
• brimming
• bursting
• chock-full
• chockful
• chockablock
• crammed
• crowded
• fat
• filled
• full
• jam-packed
• jammed
• packed
• stuffed

Examples of loaded in a Sentence

Adjective

He said he didn't know the gun was loaded.

the department stores were loaded with goods for the holiday shopping season

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The movie’s silence is so loaded with the anxiety, obstinance, inchoate anger and desire for anonymity of the traumatized teenage sportswoman that the constant thwack of her racquet hitting the ball cuts through the tension like violent shocks. —David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 May 2024

Authorities said a loaded handgun was found in the vehicle, and the ammunition was consistent with the shell casings found at the shooting scene. —CBS News, 21 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1577, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing loaded

• loaded dice
• loaded for bear
• loaded question
• loaded with

Kids Definition

loaded

adjective

load·​ed ˈlōd-əd 

1

slang : drunk entry 2 sense 1

2

: wealthy sense 1, rich