1
as in to unload
to empty or rid of cargo
the crew was frantically unburdening the ship in an attempt to save it
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to relieve
to set (a person or thing) free of something that encumbers
a generous friend unburdened her of that particular financial worry
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Recent Examples of unburden
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
This week is an invitation to unburden, reflect, and reclaim your energy.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 20 July 2025
Nowadays, the market is replete with accordion-style fans: confirming that, while their spinning counterparts might unburden your wrist, nothing ever beats the dramatic flair.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for unburden
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
This week is an invitation to unburden, reflect, and reclaim your energy.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 20 July 2025
Nowadays, the market is replete with accordion-style fans: confirming that, while their spinning counterparts might unburden your wrist, nothing ever beats the dramatic flair.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for unburden
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unburden
Verb
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Stick it under an SUV liftgate when unloading the trunk or cooking on a slide-out kitchen after dark.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
10 Oct. 2025
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The Mariners’ third baseman, who slugged 49 in the regular season for the second time in his career, unloaded on a Flaherty fastball in the fourth inning, blasting it 422 feet into the left field seats above the bullpens.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The unexpected move left contestants relieved but on edge, knowing that one misstep next week could cost them a double penalty.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Oct. 2025
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Interesting conversations with friends may relieve stress, while networking or several surface-level interactions are more likely to exhaust you, Wood says.—
Megan Sauer,
CNBC,
14 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unburden.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unburden. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
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