unburden

verb

un·​bur·​den ˌən-ˈbər-dᵊn How to pronounce unburden (audio)
unburdened; unburdening; unburdens

transitive verb

1
: to free or relieve from a burden
2
: to relieve oneself of (cares, fears, worries, etc.) : cast off

Example Sentences

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 Yet for any adult children in the audience who carry the weight of parental anxieties and generational trauma, this film dispenses enough heartening, humane sentiments to get by, demonstrating that giving one another grace and patience can unburden troubled spirits. Courtney Howard, Variety, 29 Mar. 2023 Majority Leader Steve Scalise’s Lower Energy Costs Act includes reforms to unburden energy producers and cut costs for consumers. The Editorial Board, WSJ, 26 Mar. 2023 Another posits that birth is the termination of an unsustainable lease: Human parents may evict their fetal tenant around nine months to unburden themselves of its thirst for nutrients, or perhaps the baby gladly vacates the premises, having hit the point of diminishing returns. Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 14 Oct. 2022 The chancellor's son, imprisoned for his crimes, has always sought to unburden himself of the weight of his family name. Dalton Ross, EW.com, 24 Feb. 2023 In addition, sharing your pregnancy loss with others can have a normalizing effect and help unburden you from carrying the weight of your grief alone. Gina Moffa, Parents, 22 Jan. 2023 That might even unburden a couple of old 30-something pals to produce the timely goals the Stars will need to keep that stretch of first-round success intact a while longer. Dallas News, 2 May 2022 Removal of the tumor doesn’t actually do much to unburden you from the emotional questions of mortality. Christine C. Quinn, Vogue, 3 Oct. 2022 The Pixel 7 Pro display is noticeably less curved than the Pixel 6 Pro, but why not just completely unburden the user from this unpleasant design? Ron Amadeo, Ars Technica, 21 Oct. 2022 See More

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

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1538, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unburden was circa 1538

Dictionary Entries Near unburden

Cite this Entry

“Unburden.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unburden. Accessed 9 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

unburden

verb
un·​bur·​den ˌən-ˈbərd-ᵊn How to pronounce unburden (audio)
1
: to free or bring relief from a burden
2
: to free oneself from (as cares)

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