1
as in load
a mass or quantity of something taken up and carried, conveyed, or transported
the early settlers often used horses to carry their burdens
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in responsibility
something one must do because of prior agreement
the burden of homework prevented the youngster from joining his friends at the game
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to load
to place a weight or burden on
burdened the dog with a little backpack
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to trouble
to make sad
refuses to let everyday problems burden her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of burden
Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
Public and union support during the shutdown has been vital to easing some of the financial and emotional burden for TSA workers, as airports coordinate gift card drives for gas and groceries, food pantries and other donations.
—Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2026
Stephen Martin, Oklahoma Watch, 24 Mar. 2026
So far, officials have not said whether air traffic control staffing played a role in the collision, but short staffing is an issue that has burdened the Federal Aviation Administration for years.
—Tim McNicholas, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for burden
Noun
Caregivers — spouses, children and loved ones — are often the unsung heroes who manage care while carrying their own emotional and physical burdens.
—Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
Public and union support during the shutdown has been vital to easing some of the financial and emotional burden for TSA workers, as airports coordinate gift card drives for gas and groceries, food pantries and other donations.
—Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2026
Verb
About one-third of Oklahoma renters are cost-burdened, spending more than 30 percent of their income on housing.
—Stephen Martin, Oklahoma Watch, 24 Mar. 2026
So far, officials have not said whether air traffic control staffing played a role in the collision, but short staffing is an issue that has burdened the Federal Aviation Administration for years.
—Tim McNicholas, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for burden
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burden
Verb
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Nick Castellanos flied out to center with the bases loaded to end the eighth in his Padres debut.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
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With the song in expert hands, Dave Meyer, the commercial’s director, asked to add other off-kilter elements, including a plotline about Nickelback and Megan stealing new Cheetos from a vault and loading them on to a giant truck that would also serve as their escape vehicle.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The fertilizer shortage is putting the livelihood of farmers in developing countries — already troubled by rising temperatures and erratic weather systems — further at risk, and could lead to people everywhere paying more for food.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Mar. 2026
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Understanding this cold-sensing protein could one day lead to better therapies for cold hypersensitivity that often troubles people undergoing certain types of cancer chemotherapies.—
Jacek Krywko,
Scientific American,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Many companies tie these adjustments to surging oil prices, with the blockage of the key Strait of Hormuz passageway depressing supply.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
28 Mar. 2026
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But that message carries a weird, even depressing undertone.—
Joshua Minsoo Kim,
Pitchfork,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In the 19th, Grace Panetta studied the answers in another Navigator focus group, from young women worried about economic ups and downs.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
26 Mar. 2026
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But residents worry what's next amid heightened military presence.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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If the novel concerned only these elements—the clash of cultures in a small town, the thrill of the landscape beyond it—readers would still turn the last page with a fruitful, even nourishing, sense of disorientation.—
Stephanie Burt,
New Yorker,
1 Apr. 2026
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Issues concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York, without regard to any principles of conflict of laws.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Much of progressive ideological frameworks tend to divide the world into oppressors and oppressed.—
Arie Perliger,
The Conversation,
18 Mar. 2026
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For 47 years, Iranians have been subject to a regime that seeks to divide them, isolate them, oppress them, torture them and dispose of them.—
Talla Mountjoy,
Twin Cities,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The key detail here is the lightweight formulation — heavy conditioners can weigh down already thinning strands, making hair look flatter rather than fuller.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
27 Mar. 2026
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The big engine weighed down the car’s front end too much, adversely affecting the SL’s ride and handling.—
Brett Berk,
Robb Report,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Voters are also distressed by the decline in their quality of life, as well as the country’s muddled political landscape – a fact indicated by the twenty candidates for president alone.—
Djenane Villanueva,
CNN Money,
1 Feb. 2026
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Ecru denim also made an appearance, baggy and distressed for a grittier winter look.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Burden.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burden. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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