1
as in to unload
to empty or rid of cargo
the crew was frantically unburdening the ship in an attempt to save it
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to relieve
to set (a person or thing) free of something that encumbers
a generous friend unburdened her of that particular financial worry
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Recent Examples of unburden
Its pastel-colored houses stacked against one another along towering coastal cliffs, a sapphire sea glittering below, have become an emblem for life unburdened by the mundane.
—
Heike Blümner, Air Mail, 11 Apr. 2026
Dennehy, unburdened by reverence for the franchise’s hierarchy, channeled that energy without trying.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 5 Apr. 2026
Babies unburdened by layers of jackets were seen pushed in strollers on Wednesday as temperatures hit around 70 degrees.
—Laura Turbay, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
Startups, unburdened by entrenched processes and office politics, were found to fare considerably better.
—Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unburden
Heike Blümner, Air Mail, 11 Apr. 2026
Dennehy, unburdened by reverence for the franchise’s hierarchy, channeled that energy without trying.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 5 Apr. 2026
Babies unburdened by layers of jackets were seen pushed in strollers on Wednesday as temperatures hit around 70 degrees.
—Laura Turbay, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
Startups, unburdened by entrenched processes and office politics, were found to fare considerably better.
—Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unburden
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unburden
Verb
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Usyk dropped Verhoeven with roughly 20 seconds left in the 11th, Verhoeven beat the count, and when action resumed Usyk unloaded a flurry.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
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None of the frenzied intensity that typically accompanies the signal that the NASCAR garage is open, allowing teams to unload their cars and begin preparations for that day’s on-track activity.—
Jordan Bianchi,
New York Times,
23 May 2026
Verb
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Dodgers fans might be relieved to hear that Smith, who has been a key part of the roster during the team’s consecutive World Series championship runs, feels healthy.—
Peter Chawaga,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2026
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Efforts to stop a California industrial disaster were set on a potentially promising new path on Sunday, officials said, revealing that crews discovered a possible pressure-relieving crack in the tank behind a toxic chemical leak in Orange County, where 50,000 people remain evacuated.—
Austin Turner,
CBS News,
24 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unburden.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unburden. Accessed 31 May. 2026.
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