# burdened

/ˈbɝdənd/ (US) · /bˈɜːdənd/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/burdened
Updated: 2026-05-08

## Definition

feeling very worried or tired because you have too much to deal with. You use this when a problem or a responsibility feels like a heavy weight you have to carry.

For teachers: oppressed by a heavy load, whether physical, emotional, or financial. Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'feel' or 'seem' to describe a psychological state.

## Examples

- She felt burdened by the secret she had to keep.
- The young manager felt increasingly burdened by the responsibility of overseeing a team of fifty employees during the merger.
- In the novel, the protagonist is perpetually burdened by the expectations of his family, which eventually forces him to choose between duty and his own happiness.

## Usage notes

- Often followed by the preposition 'with' or 'by'.

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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.