as in overloading
to fill or load to excess
it is important that you bring on the hike plenty of food and water, but don't overburden your pack with unnecessary gear
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Recent Examples of overburdening
Those factors make the drone ideal for swarming and overburdening aerial defenses, with each drone intercepted also representing a more valuable defense asset expended.
—
Dylan Butts, CNBC, 5 Mar. 2026
With a relatively small squad to pick from, Slot has tried to rotate where possible to avoid overburdening anyone but the pool of available talent is limited.
—James Pearce, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026
Republicans, who hold a super-minority in the Legislature and have long raised concerns about taxes and regulations overburdening California businesses, will likely oppose any tax bills.
—Nicole Nixon, Sacbee.com, 8 Jan. 2026
Many surrounding communities have successfully implemented similar programs, leading to more diverse housing options without overburdening taxpayers.
—Naperville Sun, Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 2025
Conversely, an organized return and reintegration process could allow Syria to achieve lasting economic and political stability without overburdening the state’s institutions, Syrian civil society, or aid agencies.
—Jesse Marks, Foreign Affairs, 11 Feb. 2025
All are overworked, because of a long history of overburdening and underpaying a workforce that is mostly seasonal.
—Jay Balagna, The Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2025
This highlights the importance of not overburdening new relationships with unrealistic expectations, as natural fluctuations in satisfaction are part of the process, and allowing things to unfold organically can lead to healthier emotional outcomes.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2025
Without spoiling where the Grace story is going, the new episodes acknowledge what happened without overburdening our hero or his friends with her actions, and then move onto other things as quickly as possible.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 15 Oct. 2024
Dylan Butts, CNBC, 5 Mar. 2026
With a relatively small squad to pick from, Slot has tried to rotate where possible to avoid overburdening anyone but the pool of available talent is limited.
—James Pearce, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026
Republicans, who hold a super-minority in the Legislature and have long raised concerns about taxes and regulations overburdening California businesses, will likely oppose any tax bills.
—Nicole Nixon, Sacbee.com, 8 Jan. 2026
Many surrounding communities have successfully implemented similar programs, leading to more diverse housing options without overburdening taxpayers.
—Naperville Sun, Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 2025
Conversely, an organized return and reintegration process could allow Syria to achieve lasting economic and political stability without overburdening the state’s institutions, Syrian civil society, or aid agencies.
—Jesse Marks, Foreign Affairs, 11 Feb. 2025
All are overworked, because of a long history of overburdening and underpaying a workforce that is mostly seasonal.
—Jay Balagna, The Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2025
This highlights the importance of not overburdening new relationships with unrealistic expectations, as natural fluctuations in satisfaction are part of the process, and allowing things to unfold organically can lead to healthier emotional outcomes.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2025
Without spoiling where the Grace story is going, the new episodes acknowledge what happened without overburdening our hero or his friends with her actions, and then move onto other things as quickly as possible.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 15 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overburdening
Verb
-
Regular, moderate movement improves circulation and waste elimination without overloading the system.—
Mélanie Defouilloy,
Vogue,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Her layered drum programming is intricate and well-defined, never overloading or crowding out any particular sound.—
Dash Lewis,
Pitchfork,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Aramco has been redirecting oil cargoes to Red Sea facilities on Saudi Arabia’s west coast to avoid the Strait of Hormuz, with eight supertankers loading from the area this month.—
Christine Burke,
Bloomberg,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Yes, blueberries are great, but the key isn’t loading up on a single fruit.—
Lynn Andriani,
Martha Stewart,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
To reduce ice crystal formation and freezer burn, use airtight packaging and avoid overfilling the freezer so air can circulate properly.—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
31 Jan. 2026
-
As for the after-show, the highlight (other than Jawan overfilling his champagne glass) had to be Jeff listing all the idols and advantages that were played incorrectly or unnecessarily.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
18 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Twenty-five of the states that are part of the DOJ suit are also seeking damages from Live Nation, alleging that Ticketmaster has been overcharging fans.—
Caitlin Huston,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Mar. 2026
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The health insurer accused Nutex Health, in letters to the Idaho Department of Insurance and the federal government, of routinely overcharging the insurer for treatment at its Post Falls hospital and misusing the federal process designed to help providers and insurers settle out-of-network claims.—
Angela Palermo,
Idaho Statesman,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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True enough, and that’s because lawmakers have insisted on throwing money at problems by burdening Californians with some of the highest taxes in the country.—
Rafael Perez,
Oc Register,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Tariffs are taxes burdening the movement of goods while imposing inefficiencies into the marketplace.—
Phillip Molnar,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Overburdening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overburdening. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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