burden

UK: /ˈbɜː^rd^ən/ US: /ˈbɝdən/ ,(bûr′dn)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

bur•den¹ /ˈbɜrdən/   n. 

[countable]
1. that which is carried;
   load:
   a burden of five hundred pounds.
2. that which is difficult to bear;
   onus:
   weighed down by the burden of leadership.

v. [~ + object]

3. to load heavily:
   burdened with all the packages.
4. to trouble;
   cause worry:
   I don't mean to burden you with all my problems.

bur•dened, adj. [be + ~]

[He was burdened with worries.]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

bur•den¹  (bûr′dn), n. 

1. that which is carried;
   load:
   a horse's burden of rider and pack.
2. that which is borne with difficulty;
   obligation;
   onus:
   the burden of leadership.
3. [Naut.]
   • Naval Terms the weight of a ship's cargo.
   • Naval Terms the carrying capacity of a ship.
4. Mining overburden (def. 3).
5. Metallurgy the minerals charged into a blast furnace or steelmaking furnace.
6. Business [Accountableing.] overhead (def. 6).

v.t. 

7. to load heavily.
8. to load oppressively;
   trouble.

• bef. 1000; Middle English, variant of burthen, Old English byrthen; akin to German Bürde, Gothic baurthei; see bear¹

bur′den•er, n. 
bur′den•less, adj. 
Synonyms

• 1. See load. 
• 2. weight, encumbrance, impediment.
• 8. weigh down, saddle, try, afflict, perturb, plague, grieve, vex.

bur•den²  (bûr′dn), n. 

1. the main point, message, or idea.
2. Music and Dance the refrain or recurring chorus of a song.

• Old French bourdon droning sound, instrument making such a sound
• Middle English bordoun, burdoun 1275–1325

Synonyms

• 1. substance, core, crux, nucleus, essence.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

burden / ˈbɜːd^ən/ noun

1. something that is carried; load
2. something that is exacting, oppressive, or difficult to bear
3. the cargo capacity of a ship
4. the weight of a ship's cargo

verb (transitive)

1. (sometimes followed by up) to put or impose a burden on; load
2. to weigh down; oppress

Etymology: Old English byrthen; related to beran to bear¹, Old Frisian berthene burden, Old High German burdin

burden / ˈbɜːd^ən/ noun

1. another word for bourdon

Etymology: 16th Century: from Old French bourdon bass horn, droning sound, of imitative origin