unburden

verb

un·​bur·​den ˌən-ˈbər-dᵊn How to pronounce unburden (audio)
unburdened; unburdening; unburdens
Synonyms of unburdennext

transitive verb

1
: to free or relieve from a burden
They tried to unburden her of her troubles.
2
: to relieve oneself of (cares, fears, worries, etc.) : cast off
When they asked what was bothering him, he welcomed the chance to unburden himself.

Synonyms of unburden

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Examples of unburden in a Sentence

the crew was frantically unburdening the ship in an attempt to save it a generous friend unburdened her of that particular financial worry
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.
The team is unburdened by identity, so Haaland has been free to create it. — Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 30 June 2026 Crucially, though, it’s unburdened by that band’s history. — Brad Sanders, Pitchfork, 26 June 2026 Unlike so many other athletes who played a sport at the highest level for a long period of time, Nadal didn’t much seem to care to unburden his soul. — Corey Seymour, Vogue, 25 May 2026 Bolt’s fresh arrival to the GPU arena also allows the company to take a clean sheet approach unburdened by legacy support. — IEEE Spectrum, 21 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for unburden

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1538, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unburden was circa 1538

Phrases Containing unburden

Rhymes for unburden

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Browse Nearby Words

unbung
unburden
unburdened
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Cite this Entry

“Unburden.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unburden. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

unburden

verb
un·​bur·​den ˌən-ˈbərd-ᵊn How to pronounce unburden (audio)
1
: to free or bring relief from a burden
2
: to free oneself from (as cares)

More from Merriam-Webster on unburden

Nglish: Translation of unburden for Spanish Speakers

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