overburden

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US verb /ˌoʊvɚˈbɝdən/ noun /ˈoʊvɚˌbɝdən/ UK verb /ˌəʊvəˈbɜːdən/ noun /ˈəʊvəˌbɜːdən/ See IPA manual

Freq #63883

Meanings

1

verb
to give someone or something more work, weight, debt, or responsibility than can reasonably be carried

US /ˌoʊvɚˈbɝdən/ UK /ˌəʊvəˈbɜːdən/

The new reporting rules could overburden small charities with paperwork.
2

noun
geology and mining: soil and rock lying above a mineral deposit or bedrock

US /ˈoʊvɚˌbɝdən/ UK /ˈəʊvəˌbɜːdən/

The miners removed several meters of overburden before reaching the coal seam.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to give someone or... overload overwhelmweigh down

2 noun · geology and mining: soil... coveroverlying materialsurface material

Opposites

relieve unburden lighten

Word family

Forms overburdened

Derived forms overburdenedoverburdening

Related forms burden overloadtopsoilore

Etymology

Formed from over- ('excessively; above') + burden. The verb names an excessive load; the geological noun uses the spatial sense of over- for material lying above a useful deposit.

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

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