unburden

verb

un·​bur·​den ˌən-ˈbər-dᵊn 

unburdened; unburdening; unburdens

transitive verb

1

: to free or relieve from a burden

They tried to unburden her of her troubles.

2

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

When they asked what was bothering him, he welcomed the chance to unburden himself.

Synonyms of unburden

• 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

In fact, focused commitment should reduce stress, unburden your mind of distractions, and sharpen your ability to prioritize. —Juliette Han, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025

Working through his doubts with the help of others allowed Meinerz to reach an unburdening conclusion, one that helped turn him into a first-team All-Pro for the first time in 2024. —Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 11 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

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)