unburden

verb

un·​bur·​den ˌən-ˈbər-dᵊn 

unburdened; unburdening; unburdens

transitive verb

1

: to free or relieve from a burden

2

: to relieve oneself of (cares, fears, worries, etc.) : cast off

Synonyms

• unload

Examples of unburden in a Sentence

the crew was frantically unburdening the ship in an attempt to save it

a generous friend unburdened her of that particular financial worry

Recent Examples on the Web

Startups now have access to builders trained at scale, unburdened by legacy processes and driven by a desire for impact. —Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025

By helping others unburden their minds from this default state, Crone hopes to empower others to achieve genuine abundance in their own lives. —Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2025

Sunday’s starter, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, went about his business, unburdened by offensive support once again. —Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 4 Aug. 2025

One of the billionaire V.C.’s favorite books was 1997’s The Sovereign Individual, which encourages elites to unburden themselves from nationhood through foreign citizenship. —Alison Boleyn, Robb Report, 26 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1538, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing unburden

• unburden oneself

Rhymes for unburden

• bourdon
• burden
• overburden

Kids Definition

unburden

verb

un·​bur·​den ˌən-ˈbərd-ᵊn 

1

: to free or bring relief from a burden

2

: to free oneself from (as cares)