# weight of the world

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/weight-of-the-world
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

The distressing combined burden of the problems, doubts, imperfections, and responsibilities associated with human existence.

## Examples

- He looks like he carries the weight of the world on his shoulders.
- I feel the weight of the world when I think about my future.
- Does he always carry the weight of the world during exam season?
- After the company announced the layoffs, the manager walked around with the weight of the world on his shoulders.
- You look like you are carrying the weight of the world after that long phone call with your parents.
- The young doctor felt the weight of the world as she prepared for her first solo surgery in the morning.
- The new president felt the weight of the world as he sat alone in his office, realizing how many lives depended on his next decision.
- Watching the news of the global crisis, she felt the weight of the world pressing down upon her, making even simple tasks feel impossible.

## Origin

An allusion to the myth of Atlas, the Titan condemned to carry the weight of the celestial spheres upon his shoulders. The figure serves as the archetype for the enduring of immense and solitary pressure.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.