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bur·den·some

(bûrdn-səm)

adj.

1. Weighing much or hard to carry; heavy.

2. Causing hardship or distress.

burden·some·ly adv.

burden·some·ness n.

Synonyms: burdensome, onerous, oppressive, weighty
These adjectives apply to what causes one to feel weighed down, as with duties, difficulties, or hardships: the burdensome task of preparing a tax return; the onerous chores involved in maintaining a large house; oppressive policies that restricted citizens' freedom; the weighty concerns that troubled the jurors.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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