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unburden

/ˈʌnˌbʌrdn/
IPA guide

Other forms: unburdened; unburdening; unburdens

When you remove a difficulty or weight from yourself or someone else, you unburden them. Help unburden a friend by carrying her books or by listening to her troubles.

When you unburden someone, you take away some burden — a task, hardship, or even something they're worried about. You can unburden new parents by offering to babysit or unburden your little brother by carrying his backpack for him. Another way to unburden is to relieve of an emotional weight: "You may feel better if you unburden yourself. Want to tell me what's on your mind?"

Definitions of unburden
  1. verb
    take the burden off; remove the burden from
    unburden the donkey”
    synonyms: disburden
    see moresee less
    antonyms:
    burden
    weight down with a load
    types:
    lighten
    reduce the weight on; make lighter
    type of:
    remove, take, take away, withdraw
    remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract
  2. verb
    free or relieve (someone) of a burden
    see moresee less
    type of:
    take
    take into one's possession
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