To treat someone badly by criticizing them harshly or by unloading your problems and emotional burdens on them unfairly.
To be very nasty to someone or to tell someone all your problems when they didn't ask to hear them.
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
To unload your problems, worries, or negative emotions on someone, often without their invitation and in an overwhelming way.
"I'm sorry for dumping on you like this — you must be exhausted hearing all my problems."
To criticize someone harshly and unfairly, or to treat them with contempt.
"The manager had a habit of dumping on his team whenever a project went wrong."
To drop ('dump') something unwanted onto a person — the metaphor maps rubbish to criticism or problems.
To be very nasty to someone or to tell someone all your problems when they didn't ask to hear them.
Used in two main senses: (1) to criticize or treat someone badly; (2) to unload personal problems on someone. Both senses carry a negative connotation, implying the target of the action is treated unfairly. Common in both British and American English.
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Listen to native speakers using "dump on" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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