unburden

verb

un·​bur·​den ˌən-ˈbər-dᵊn How to pronounce unburden (audio)
unburdened; unburdening; unburdens

transitive verb

1
: to free or relieve from a burden
2
: to relieve oneself of (cares, fears, worries, etc.) : cast off

Examples of unburden in a Sentence

the crew was frantically unburdening the ship in an attempt to save it a generous friend unburdened her of that particular financial worry
Recent Examples on the Web Fabricating false papers and transporting them for the famed Dutch-Paris underground network unburdened her of guilt. Adam Nossiter, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2024 This will unburden your daughter and give you a stronger foundation for a mutually agreeable relationship. Haben Kelati, Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2023 That’s the cost of entry for unburdening yourself via the , an adventure as experimental as its name is inscrutable. Christopher Cameron, Robb Report, 28 Oct. 2023 Srinivasan and his team focused on unburdening some of that lift by simplifying the sourcing experience and improving the precision of search to help recruiters find relevant candidates. Paige McGlauflin, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2023 Rangers first baseman Nathaniel Lowe explained to ESPN’s Tim Keown recently how Bochy’s humor unburdened him during a heavy August. Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Oct. 2023 Since Will Smith clobbered him at last year’s Oscars in front of their Hollywood peers and about 15 million onlookers on U.S. television, Mr. Rock has avoided the forums where celebrities typically go to unburden themselves. John Jurgensen, WSJ, 27 Feb. 2023 For this reason, increasing the number of H-1B and H-2B visas could have the additional benefit of unburdening the asylum system. Gordon H. Hanson, Foreign Affairs, 19 Dec. 2022 Together, the three of us tried to unburden Martin’s widow, Coretta, as much as possible. Clarence B. Jones, The New Yorker, 18 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unburden.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1538, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unburden was circa 1538

Dictionary Entries Near unburden

Cite this Entry

“Unburden.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unburden. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

unburden

verb
un·​bur·​den ˌən-ˈbərd-ᵊn How to pronounce unburden (audio)
1
: to free or bring relief from a burden
2
: to free oneself from (as cares)

More from Merriam-Webster on unburden

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