MEANING
1. To relieve someone of a physical or emotional load, responsibility, or troubling concern.
2. To tell another person a troubling thought or secret in order to feel relief.
Use it for
Show relief through setting down a load or finally speaking.Describe the moment when a character releases a weight or finally tells someone what has been troubling them.
Words that belong together
- unburden oneself
- unburden someone of a task
- unburden a secret
- unburden oneself to a friend
- unburden a worry
On the page
She unburdened herself of the soaked pack at the doorway.
He unburdened himself to the night nurse while the ward slept.
Nearby words
Opposite meanings
Word forms
- Base
- unburden
- Past tense
- unburdened
- Past participle
- unburdened
- Present participle
- unburdening
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- unburden
- Present continuous
- am/is/are unburdening
- Present perfect
- have/has unburdened
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been unburdening
- Past
- unburdened
- Past continuous
- was/were unburdening
- Past perfect
- had unburdened
- Past perfect continuous
- had been unburdening
- Future
- will unburden
- Future continuous
- will be unburdening
- Future perfect
- will have unburdened
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been unburdening
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Explore related collections
Usage notes
Often reflexive: “unburden oneself of” something or “unburden oneself to” a listener. The word suggests relief through release or sharing. Sense 2: This sense usually involves personal disclosure, not simply giving someone information.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
Keep a thought for later. Sign in to save privately.