burden

1 of 3

noun (1)

bur·​den ˈbər-dᵊn How to pronounce burden (audio)
1
a
: something that is carried : load
dropped his burden of firewood
b
: duty, responsibility
forced to bear the burden of caring for her aging parents
lowering the tax burden on the middle class
2
: something oppressive or worrisome
a heavy burden of guilt
was a huge financial burden on his family
3
a
: the bearing of a load
usually used in the phrase beast of burden
b
: capacity for carrying cargo
a ship of a hundred tons burden
4
: load sense 11
worm burdens of cattle
cancer burden

burden

2 of 3

verb

burdened; burdening ˈbərd-niŋ How to pronounce burden (audio)
ˈbər-dᵊn-iŋ

transitive verb

: load, oppress
I will not burden you with a lengthy account.

burden

3 of 3

noun (2)

1
a
: a central topic : theme
the burden of the argument
2
archaic : a bass or accompanying part
I would sing my song without a burden; thou bringest me out of tuneShakespeare

Examples of burden in a Sentence

Verb I don't wish to burden you with my problems. burdened the dog with a little backpack
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Her bohemian elite background is presented throughout as a burden of privilege. Guy Lodge, Variety, 6 Mar. 2024 In most of the country, though, the net effect of the tax overhaul was a lightened burden. Jeff Sommer, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2024 But as the data streams became more complex and analyzing the output into intelligence became increasingly opaque, systems failure was the norm—all while the investments required to maintain systems that were developed or purchased were considered a significant financial burden. Jay Hakami, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Whoever comes next will have the burden of filling the shoes of a man who deserves to be considered one of the great lions of the Senate. The Editors, National Review, 29 Feb. 2024 Poetically speaking, an albatross is also a metaphor for a great and inescapable moral or emotional burden (could this be why Swift kept putting her Grammy on people's heads?), which could also be read as a reference to Alwyn. Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 29 Feb. 2024 Newsletters Sign up for Morning Rounds Understand how science, health policy, and medicine shape the world every day Privacy Policy The new data highlight how the global burden of obesity is evolving. Elaine Chen Reprints, STAT, 29 Feb. 2024 The lack of babies is speeding up the aging of South Korean society, generating concerns about the growing fiscal burden of public pensions and health care. Sam Kim, Fortune Asia, 28 Feb. 2024 President Joe Biden's most recent plan, a win for progressives, would ease the burdens of the many Americans who feel financially crushed by the weight of their student loans. Zachary Schermele, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024
Verb
They are not burdened by administrative duties like office management, recruiting, training, and professional development that are necessary at larger firms. Jon Younger, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 If this mood isn’t finding you at your desk, but rather on vacation, this knowledge will probably burden you. Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Feb. 2024 Already burdened drivers can expect to see gas prices hit $5 a gallon this spring, and electricity bills also are expected to rise. Ari Plachta, Sacramento Bee, 23 Feb. 2024 People work hard to pay for their homes & then to be burdened with rising property taxes doesnt seem fair. Charlotte Observer, 22 Feb. 2024 Millennial children may be burdened with their care. Daniel De Visé, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2024 In American culture, women have always been unfairly burdened with expectations surrounding age. Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 13 Feb. 2024 The number of households considered burdened by housing costs also is increasing. Ryan Anderson, arkansasonline.com, 11 Feb. 2024 Their joint walkouts have burdened hospital operations. Hyung-Jin Kim, Quartz, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'burden.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1) and Verb

Middle English, from Old English byrthen; akin to Old English beran to carry — more at bear

Noun (2)

Middle English burdoun, from Anglo-French burdun a drone bass, of imitative origin

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1541, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of burden was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near burden

Cite this Entry

“Burden.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/burden. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

burden

1 of 2 noun
bur·​den ˈbərd-ᵊn How to pronounce burden (audio)
1
a
: something carried : load
b
: something taken as a duty or responsibility
tax burdens
2
: something hard to take
a burden of sorrow
3
a
: the carrying of loads
beast of burden
b
: capacity for carrying cargo
a ship of 100 tons burden
burden verb

burden

2 of 2 noun
1
: the refrain or chorus of a song
2
: a main idea : gist
Etymology

Noun

Old English byrthen "load, burden"

Noun

an altered form of earlier bourdon "a refrain or chorus of a song," from Middle English burdoun (same meaning), from early French burdun "bass horn"

Medical Definition

burden

noun
bur·​den ˈbərd-ᵊn How to pronounce burden (audio)
: load sense 3
worm burden
cancer burden

Legal Definition

burden

noun
bur·​den
1
: something that is a duty, obligation, or responsibility
the prosecution has the burden of proving every element of the offense
the statute imposes undue burdens
burden of pleading the necessary elements
2

More from Merriam-Webster on burden

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