burdennoun [ C ]
uk/ˈbɜː.dən/us/ˈbɝː.dən/a heavy load that you carry:
The little donkey struggled under its heavy burden.
C1 something difficult or unpleasant that you have to deal with or worry about:
the burden of responsibility
My elderly mother worries that she's a burden to me.
Buying a house often places a large financial burden on young couples.
More examples
- The war had put an insupportable financial burden on the country.
- The irony of it is that the new tax system will burden those it was intended to help.
- A huge burden was lifted from my shoulders when I told my parents about my problem.
- Such a high increase will impose an undue burden on the local tax payer.
- Not until this turbulent region can shuffle off the burdens of the past will it be able to settle peacefully into the community of nations.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Physical supports and supporting
- backbone
- bearing
- bolster
- bookend
- buoy
- buttress
- cantilever
- catwalk
- groan
- pile
- rafter
- runner
- scaffold
- scaffolding
- shore
- shore sth up
- skid
- stanchion
- stem
- stilt
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Difficult things and people
Difficult situations and unpleasant experiences
Idiom(s)
the burden of proof
burdenverb [ T ]
uk/ˈbɜː.dən/us/ˈbɝː.dən/to trouble someone with something difficult or unpleasant:
I don't want to burden you with my problems.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Inconvenience
- a pain (in the neck) idiom
- a pain in the arse/backside idiom
- aggravation
- aggro
- awkward
- bore
- disturbance
- drag
- hassle
- have fun and games idiom
- imposition
- inconvenience
- inconvenient
- put sb out
- put yourself out
- rigmarole
- snag
- some
- storm
- tempest
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