How to pronounce burden
Say it like BUR-dun. Burden has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BUR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce burden. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BUR
- dun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Burden pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BURSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
- dunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of burden
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: BUR-dun.
What does burden mean?
- an onerous or difficult concern“the burden of responsibility”“that's a load off my mind”
- weight to be borne or conveyed
- the central meaning or theme of a speech or literary work
- weight down with a load
- impose a task upon, assign a responsibility to“He charged her with cleaning up all the files over the weekend”
Where does burden come from?
Inherited from Middle English birthene, birthen, birden, from Old English byrden, byrþen, from Proto-West Germanic *burþini, from *burþī, from Proto-Germanic *burþį̄, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰer- (“to carry, bear”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying burden
How do you pronounce burden?
Say BUR-dun. The American pronunciation is /ˈbɝdən/. In British English it is /ˈbɜːdən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in burden?
Burden has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BUR). Broken into parts: BUR · dun.
Is burden pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈbɜːdən/ (BUR-dun).