Burden (Noun)
Meaning 1
The central idea that is expanded in a document or discourse.
Classification
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents.
Examples
- The novel's central theme of the American Dream becomes a recurring burden throughout the narrative, weighing heavily on the protagonist's decisions.
- The memoir explores the author's personal struggles as a woman in a patriarchal society, and the burden of expectation placed upon her by others.
- As the essay delves deeper into the issue of climate change, the burden of responsibility on governments and corporations becomes increasingly evident.
- The documentary highlights the burden of proof faced by whistleblowers in corporate scandals, and the sacrifices they must make to expose the truth.
- In the poem, the speaker grapples with the burden of memory, wrestling with the ghosts of their past and the weight of historical legacy.
Hypernyms
Meaning 2
The central meaning or theme of a speech or literary work.
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Meaning 3
An onerous or difficult concern; "the burden of responsibility"; "that's a load off my mind".
Classification
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents.
Examples
- The weight of her family's financial struggles was a constant burden on her mind.
- He felt the burden of responsibility for his team's failure to meet the deadline.
- The company's debt was a heavy burden that threatened to bankrupt them.
- She felt a sense of relief when she finally shared her secret, lifting a burden that had been weighing her down for years.
- The burden of caring for her elderly parents was taking a toll on her physical and mental health.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Related Words
Meaning 4
Weight to be borne or conveyed.
Classification
Nouns denoting man-made objects.
Examples
- The mule struggled under the heavy burden of luggage on its back.
- The weight of the large box was too much of a burden for her to carry by herself.
- The size and weight of the machinery made it a heavy burden for the truck to haul.
- The bulky wardrobe was a burden to transport up the stairs to the apartment.
- As she climbed the mountain, her backpack became a greater burden with each step.