weigh down
To make something heavy so it sinks or can't move, or to make someone feel very sad and stressed.
Meanings
To make something physically heavy so that it sinks, bends, or cannot move freely.
"The snow weighed down the pine branches until they nearly touched the ground."
To cause someone to feel deeply sad, stressed, or unable to cope due to problems or responsibilities.
"She was visibly weighed down by the stress of caring for her sick mother while working full time."
"He was weighed down by the heavy burden of leadership."
— Widely attributed paraphrase of themes in Nelson Mandela, 'Long Walk to Freedom', 1994
To prevent progress or success by adding too many problems, costs, or obligations.
"The company was weighed down by debt and could not invest in new technology."
Used both literally (physical weight) and figuratively (emotional/mental burden). In the figurative sense, it is often used in the passive: 'weighed down by grief/debt/responsibility.'
Commonly used with
Forms
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