burden synonyms

burden

n.

  1. Something carried

    load, weight, freight, pack; see freight 1, load 1, package 1.

  2. Anything hard to support or endure

    encumbrance, trouble, thorn in the flesh, onus, weary load, heavy load, weight, millstone, albatross around one's neck, cross to bear, impediment, imposition, inconvenience, hardship, trial, strain, responsibility; see also affliction, difficulty 2, duty 2, misfortune 1.

burden

v.

weigh down, encumber, cumber, oppress, overwhelm, hinder, hamper, strain, load with, saddle with, task with, handicap, obligate, lade, tax, charge, overtask, afflict, vex, try, trouble, pile, overcharge, overburden, bear down, bog down, crush, depress, impede, overload, overtax, load down with, make heavy; see also force 1, hinder, oppress.

Antonyms lighten*, relieve*, unload.

Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.