Definition

1. Verb (transitive):
   • To burden or make heavy by adding weight; to load down.
   • To cause someone or something to feel physically or metaphorically heavy, oppressed, or encumbered.

Usage

• This verb is used to describe the action of adding a physical load that makes something heavier and less easy to move.
• It is also used figuratively to describe imposing a heavy burden of responsibility, worry, or sorrow on a person.

Examples

• Literal Use:
  • The heavy books weighted down his backpack.
  • The fisherman weighted down the net with lead sinkers.
• Figurative Use:
  • She felt weighted down by the responsibilities of her new job.
  • Guilt weighted him down and affected his sleep.

Advanced Usage

• "to be weighted down with/by something": This common passive construction emphasizes the state of being burdened.
  • The branches were weighted down with snow.
  • He was weighted down by past regrets.

Variants and Related Words

• Weigh down: This is a more common variant with identical meaning and usage. "Weight down" is less frequent.
  • The problem continues to weigh her down.
• Weight (verb): To add weight to something.
  • They weighted the base of the lamp so it wouldn't tip over.

Synonyms

• Burden: To load or weigh down.
• Encumber: To impede or hamper the function or activity of.
• Load down: To place a large or heavy load on.
• Oppress: To lie heavily on (the mind, a person).

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Weigh on: To cause worry or distress to someone. This is closely related but focuses more on the mental/emotional effect than the physical act of adding weight.
  • The bad news weighed on him all day.

Related Idioms

• A weight off one's mind/shoulders: This idiom describes the from a burden, which is the opposite state of being "weighted down."
  • Finishing the project was a weight off her shoulders.

Verb

1. weight down with a load