burden

1 of 3

noun (1)

bur·​den ˈbər-dᵊn How to pronounce burden (audio)
Synonyms of burden
1
a
: something that is carried : load
dropped the burden of firewood
b
: duty, responsibility
bore the burden of caring for their aging parents
lowering the tax burden on the middle class
2
: something oppressive or worrisome
a heavy burden of guilt
was a huge financial burden on his family
3
a
: the bearing of a load
—usually used in the phrase beast of burden
b
: capacity for carrying cargo
a ship of a hundred tons burden
4
: load sense 11
worm burdens of cattle
cancer burden

burden

2 of 3

verb

burdened; burdening ˈbərd-niŋ How to pronounce burden (audio)
ˈbər-dᵊn-iŋ

transitive verb

: load, oppress
I will not burden you with a lengthy account.

burden

3 of 3

noun (2)

1
a
: a central topic : theme
the burden of the argument
b
: chorus, refrain
2
archaic : a bass or accompanying part
I would sing my song without a burden; thou bringest me out of tune.—Shakespeare

Synonyms of burden

Relevance

Noun (1)

Verb

Noun (2)

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of burden in a Sentence

Noun (1) the early settlers often used horses to carry their burdens the burden of homework prevented the youngster from joining his friends at the game Verb I don't wish to burden you with my problems. burdened the dog with a little backpack Noun (2) had some trouble coming up with a burden for the song
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
To reduce the burden of school…the plan is to give students less money to pay for school. — Kenny Malone, NPR, 1 July 2026 In a high-debt environment, even a modest increase in interest rates can add a significant fiscal burden. — Tristan Bove, Fortune, 2 July 2026
Verb
Trump had argued that a president shouldn’t be burdened with defending himself against decades-old charges. — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 29 June 2026 The armed forces, already burdened by years of public distrust, now face what analysts say could be a near-total collapse in legitimacy. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for burden

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1) and Verb

Middle English, from Old English byrthen; akin to Old English beran to carry — more at bear

Noun (2)

Middle English burdoun, from Anglo-French burdun a drone bass, of imitative origin

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1541, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of burden was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing burden

Rhymes for burden

See All Rhymes for burden

Browse Nearby Words

Burdekin vine
burden
Burden's grass
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Burden.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/burden. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

burden

1 of 2 noun
bur·​den ˈbərd-ᵊn How to pronounce burden (audio)
1
a
: something carried : load
b
: something taken as a duty or responsibility
tax burdens
2
: something hard to take
a burden of sorrow
3
a
: the carrying of loads
beast of burden
b
: capacity for carrying cargo
a ship of 100 tons burden
burden verb

burden

2 of 2 noun
1
: the refrain or chorus of a song
2
: a main idea : gist
Etymology

Noun

Old English byrthen "load, burden"

Noun

an altered form of earlier bourdon "a refrain or chorus of a song," from Middle English burdoun (same meaning), from early French burdun "bass horn"

Medical Definition

burden

noun
bur·​den ˈbərd-ᵊn How to pronounce burden (audio)
: load sense 3
worm burden
cancer burden

Legal Definition

burden

noun
bur·​den
1
: something that is a duty, obligation, or responsibility
the prosecution has the burden of proving every element of the offense
the statute imposes undue burdens
burden of pleading the necessary elements
2
: burden of proof

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