weigh down: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Informal, general, and literary; the emotional sense is common in both writing and speech.
Quick answer
What does “weigh down” mean?
To make something physically heavy so that movement or support is difficult.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To make something physically heavy so that movement or support is difficult.
To cause someone to feel burdened, oppressed, or troubled mentally or emotionally.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Both use the same phrasal verb.
Connotations
Identical in both variants.
Frequency
Slightly more common in British written English corpora, but the difference is marginal.
Grammar
How to Use “weigh down” in a Sentence
[Person/Thing] + weigh down + [Object][Person/Thing] + be weighed down + by/with + [Burden]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “weigh down” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The heavy snow began to weigh down the roof.
- Don't let these minor issues weigh you down.
American English
- The student loans are really weighing him down.
- The wet clothes weighed down the backpack.
adjective
British English
- She had a weighed-down expression.
- The weighed-down boughs of the tree touched the ground.
American English
- He looked weighed-down after the meeting.
- The weighed-down shelves were beginning to sag.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Often used to describe financial or administrative burdens, e.g., 'The company was weighed down by debt.'
Academic
Used in psychology or sociology to discuss mental/emotional burdens, e.g., 'Participants reported feeling weighed down by societal expectations.'
Everyday
Common for describing physical tiredness or emotional stress, e.g., 'I'm just weighed down with all these chores.'
Technical
Rare; could be used in physics or engineering in a literal sense, e.g., 'The structure is weighed down by excess load.'
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “weigh down”
- Incorrect: 'The problem weighed down on me.' (Correct: 'weighed on me' or 'weighed me down')
- Incorrect: 'He felt weighed down of guilt.' (Correct: 'weighed down by/with guilt')
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is a separable phrasal verb. You can say 'The worries weigh him down' or 'The worries weigh down the team.' The pronoun must go in the middle: 'It weighs me down.'
The most common are 'by' and 'with.' 'By' often introduces the agent of the burden ('weighed down by guilt'), while 'with' can introduce the instrument or accompanying load ('weighed down with shopping'). In practice, they are often interchangeable.
'Weigh down' suggests a more crushing, immobilising burden, often physical or deeply emotional. 'Weigh on' is more common for lingering worries or guilt that preys on one's mind ('The decision weighed on her for weeks').
Extremely rarely. Its core semantics involve an excessive, undesirable burden. A possible positive use would be ironic or poetic, e.g., 'weighed down with honours,' implying the honours are almost a cumbersome burden.
To make something physically heavy so that movement or support is difficult.
Weigh down is usually informal, general, and literary; the emotional sense is common in both writing and speech. in register.
Weigh down: in British English it is pronounced /weɪ daʊn/, and in American English it is pronounced /weɪ daʊn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “weighed down with care”
- “weighed down by the hand of fate”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine holding a heavy WEIGHT that pulls you DOWN.
Conceptual Metaphor
EMOTIONAL/PSYCHOLOGICAL BURDEN IS PHYSICAL WEIGHT.
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'weigh down' correctly in a metaphorical sense?