loaded

1 of 2

adjective

load·​ed ˈlō-dəd 

1

: carrying a load

a loaded freight train

: such as

a

: containing an explosive charge

a loaded warhead

: having bullets inside

a loaded handgun

b

of a camera : having film inside

2

informal : having a large amount of something

a store loaded with goods

a report loaded with errors

: such as

a

: having a large amount of money : wealthy

She left them a fortune and the family is now loaded.

b

: equipped with an abundance of features

a fully loaded car

c

: filled or topped with many things

a loaded baked potato

d

: featuring a great amount of top-level talent

a basketball team with a loaded roster

a loaded competition

3

chiefly US slang : intoxicated by alcohol or drugs

especially : drunk

They got loaded at the party.

… no matter how loaded he got, Billy did his drinking at home and always put the cans in the recycling bin …

—Stephen King

4

a

: carrying a hidden or secondary meaning that is capable of causing unease

Because "asylum" is a loaded term, it can draw attention to crucial issues facing vulnerable Americans, but it also tends to foreclose discussion of real solutions.

—The New York Times

"You tell me," Cora said. "Do you think I had a therapist?" Aaron's mouth fell open. That was a loaded question. Any answer would be wrong.

—Parnell Hall

b

: weighted to favor a specific outcome

loaded dice

(figurative) … the dice of life are loaded in favor of first borns in ways they simply aren't for any siblings who come along later.

—Jeffrey Kluger

loaded

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of load entry 2

Synonyms

Adjective

• brimful
• brimming
• bursting
• chock-full
• chockful
• chockablock
• crammed
• crowded
• fat
• filled
• full
• jam-packed
• jammed
• packed
• stuffed

Examples of loaded in a Sentence

Adjective

He said he didn't know the gun was loaded.

the department stores were loaded with goods for the holiday shopping season

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

School staff discovered the 9mm Springfield Armory XD handgun with an attached, loaded magazine in the backpack, and Queen Creek police officers were called to the school. —The Arizona Republic, 18 Apr. 2024

Amid debris scattered in front of it, is a large semi-truck with a loaded flatbed and damage to its cab. —Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024

Hugo’s loaded night also includes serving as a team flag bearer during pregame introductions, on top of the several excursions through the crowd, jokingly shunning fans in opposing jerseys before reluctantly giving them high fives or playfully posing for pictures. —Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 28 Mar. 2024

Two men charged with murder in Chiefs Super Bowl parade shooting 03:09 One of the firearms found at the scene was a loaded pistol. —Minyvonne Burke, NBC News, 13 Mar. 2024

School security had found a loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun in his backpack. —Fox19 Digital Staff, The Enquirer, 12 Mar. 2024

Underdog — Resurrection Christian: The Cougars land here only because this is a loaded bracket and somebody has to. —Matt Schubert, The Denver Post, 6 Mar. 2024

State Representative Don Wilson left a loaded, 9mm Glock handgun in a bathroom of the Colorado State Capitol on Tuesday, on the heels of a bill under consideration to prohibit firearms in sensitive spaces—including the Rotunda. —Natasha Lovato, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024

Police followed around Pike’s purple Cadillac Escalade and arrested him in October 2022 on suspicion of possessing 3.5 pounds of methamphetamine, and again in December with one pound of the drug and a loaded gun, authorities said in court records. —Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 11 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1577, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing loaded

• loaded dice
• loaded for bear
• loaded question
• loaded with

Kids Definition

loaded

adjective

load·​ed ˈlōd-əd 

1

slang : drunk entry 2 sense 1

2

: wealthy sense 1, rich