3 syllables: bur, den, some. Stress on bur.
BUR-duhn-suhm
/ˈbɝdənsəm/
burdensome is pronounced BUR-duhn-suhm (/ˈbɝdənsəm/). It has three syllables (bur-den-some), with the stress on "bur". Burdensome describes something that imposes a heavy load or difficulty. It conveys a sense of obligation or encumbrance that makes tasks more demanding or stressful. The term often carries a judgment about the burden being excessive or unwelcome in a given situation.
Burdensome describes something that imposes a heavy load or difficulty. It conveys a sense of obligation or encumbrance that makes tasks more demanding or stressful. The term often carries a judgment about the burden being excessive or unwelcome in a given situation.
- Common phonetic challenges include: 1) Misplacing stress: BUR-den-some vs bur-DEN-some. Keep primary stress on the first syllable. 2) Vowel quality in the first syllable: US/AU /ər/ vs UK /ɜː/; avoid reducing to a mere schwa in non-rhotic contexts. 3) Slurring final cluster: /səm/ vs /sɔm/; aim for crisp /s/ and a short /əm/ or /ʌm/ depending on dialect. - Corrections: rehearse with slow enunciated blocks, then blend without adding extra vowels, practice with minimal pairs to stabilize vowel quality and consonant onset transitions.
"Carrying the extra files was burdensome, slowing down the entire filing process."
"The new regulations imposed a burdensome amount of paperwork on small businesses."
"For a student, balancing classes, work, and family can feel burdensome."
Pronounce as BUR-den-some with primary stress on the first syllable. IPA: US ˈbər.dənˌsʌm, UK ˈbɜː.dənˌsʌm, AU ˈbɜː.dənˌsʌm. Start with /b/ followed by a schwa or /ɜ/ in stressed position, then /r/ or /ɹ/ depending on accent. The second syllable is a gentle /dən/ with a light, quick /ən/ and final /sʌm/ where /s/ blends into /m/. Practice a clean /r/ or /ɹ/ after /b/; avoid adding extra vowel between /b/ and /ɹ/.
Common errors include: 1) Misplacing stress, saying bur-den-SOME with wrong emphasis; 2) Overarticulating the second syllable as /ˈbɜːr.dənˌsɔːm/ or turning /s/ into /z/; 3) Slurring the /r/ or not linking /ən/ to /s/ leading to a clipped /dən.səm/ instead of /dənˌsʌm/. Correction: keep BUR as primary stress, pronounce /dən/ quickly in a light schwa, and finish with a sharp /səm/; ensure the /s/ transitions directly to /m/ without a vowel in between.
In US and AU, rhotic accents render /ˈbər.dənˌsʌm/ with a clearer /r/; UK often uses /ˈbɜː.dənˌsʌm/ where /ɜː/ is a longer, mid-central vowel and the /r/ is non-rhotic. In careful UK speech, you may hear /ˈbɜːn.dənˌsʌm/ with a lighter/omitted post-vocalic r. The final syllable remains /səm/ or /sʌm/ depending on vowel quality. Overall, the major difference is rhoticity and vowel length: US/AU emphasize a rhotic /r/ and a slightly shorter /ɜː/ vs UK’s longer /ɜː/ and non-rhotic pattern.
The difficulty lies in coordinating a multi-phoneme sequence with a tricky schwa and a stressed first syllable amid a fast, connected speech. Specifically, the /ər/ or /ɜːr/ cluster after /b/ often challenges non-native or rapid speakers, while the transition from /ən/ to /s/ requires tight timing to avoid an extra vowel. Also, the final /səm/ can be mispronounced as /sɔm/ or /sæm/ if the tongue relaxes too soon. Practicing the exact vowel quality and keeping the syllables crisply distinct helps.
No silent letters affect the standard pronunciation of burdensome. All letters in BURD-EN-SOME contribute to pronunciation. The key is not silent letters but articulation: /b/ onset, /ər/ or /ɜːr/ in the first syllable, the /d/ tapping after /r/ or /d/ blending into /ən/, and the final /s/ followed by /m/. The 'e' in -some is not a separate vowel; it participates in the /s/ vs /z/ sound shaping only in some rapid speech variants.
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- US: emphasize rhotic /r/; keep /ər/ light and quick; ensure /d/ is a clear onset to /ən/. - UK: non-rhotic /r/; longer /ɜː/ in the first syllable; keep /dən/ as a compact syllable. - AU: rhotic influences vary; commonly a pronounced /r/ in careful speech; maintain /ˈbɜː.dənˌsʌm/ with a slightly wider /ɜː/ and a crisp /s/ before /m/. - IPA references: US ˈbər.dənˌsʌm, UK ˈbɜː.dənˌsʌm, AU ˈbɜː.dənˌsʌm. - General tip: think BURD as a strong syllable; keep the middle /ən/ light; finalize with a short, clear /səm/.
Burdensome comes from Middle English burdensom, formed from burden (a load to be carried) plus -som, an adjective suffix meaning 'characterized by' or 'tending to be.' The noun burden itself derives from Old English byrn/berien? (not standard modern spelling) with Germanic roots. In early Middle English, burdensome described situations laden with obligation or duty rather than physical weight alone. The word shifted semantically toward figurative weight—psychological, administrative, or moral loads—reflecting a broader sense of encumbrance. By the 16th century, burdensome was common in legal and administrative language to describe onerous duties. Over time, the term retained its nuance of unwelcome heaviness, increasingly used in everyday speech to describe tasks, regulations, or responsibilities that feel excessive relative to benefit. The pronunciation and spelling stabilized into burdensome, with the primary stress on the first syllable (BUR-den-some) in most varieties of English. First known use in written English appears in early modern texts, with the form and sense aligning closely with today’s usage in legal, bureaucratic, and general descriptive language.
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Words that rhyme with "burdensome"
-me) sounds
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