burden

noun
UK: /ˈbɜːdn/
US: /ˈbɜːrdən/

  1. A heavy load that you carry.

    1. The bag was a heavy burden. [ ] [ ]
    2. The old man carried the burden on his back with great difficulty. [ ] [ ]

  2. Something difficult or unpleasant that you have to deal with.

    1. My bills are a big burden. [ ] [ ]
    2. Paying for college can be a heavy financial burden for many families. [ ] [ ]

  3. A duty or responsibility.

    1. The burden of proof rests with the prosecution. [ ] [ ]
    2. She felt a great burden of responsibility after becoming the team leader. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

load weight responsibility duty strain worry encumber oppress
burden verb

  1. To trouble or worry someone.

    1. Don't burden me with that. [ ] [ ]
    2. I don't want to burden you with my problems, so I'll handle it myself. [ ] [ ]

  2. To load heavily.

    1. He burdened the horse with supplies. [ ] [ ]
    2. The company was burdened with debt after the economic downturn. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "burden" in English means: A heavy load that you carry., Something difficult or unpleasant that you have to deal with., A duty or responsibility..

The phonetic transcription of "burden" is /ˈbɜːdn/ in British English and /ˈbɜːrdən/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "burden": load, weight, responsibility, duty, strain, worry, encumber, oppress.

Example usage of "burden": "The bag was a heavy burden.". More examples on the page.