Weigh sth down Meaning & Examples: How to Use This Phrasal Verb

What Does “Weigh sth down” Mean?

“Weigh sth down” means to make something heavier or harder to carry by adding weight or pressure to it.

Introduction

The phrase “Weigh sth down” is a common phrasal verb in English. It is used when something is physically or mentally made heavier or more difficult because of an added burden. The Weigh sth down meaning can apply to objects being physically heavy or to feelings and responsibilities making someone feel stressed or pressured. Understanding how to use this phrasal verb correctly can help you describe situations where something is overloaded or burdened.

Quick Info Box

• Phrasal verb: weigh something down
• Type: Transitive
• Level: B2
• Short meaning: To make something heavier or harder to move

Structure (Grammar Rules)

“Weigh sth down” is a separable phrasal verb. You can place the object between “weigh” and “down” or after the entire phrase.

• Weigh + object + down (correct): They weighed the box down with books.
• Weigh down + object (correct): The box was weighed down with books.

Note: The object must be a noun or pronoun.

How to Use Weigh sth down?

Use “weigh sth down” when you want to describe something that becomes heavier or more difficult to carry or deal with. It can refer to physical weight or emotional/mental burdens.

• Physical use: “The heavy stones weighed the boat down.”
• Emotional use: “Worries about the future weighed her down.”

Examples

Here are some natural sentences to understand how to use “weigh sth down in a sentence”:

• The rain weighed down the branches, making them droop.
• She felt weighed down by all the responsibilities at work.
• The luggage was weighed down by souvenirs from the trip.
• Heavy textbooks weighed down his backpack.
• Financial problems can weigh people down emotionally.

Common Mistakes

Sometimes learners confuse the position of the object or use the wrong preposition. Here are examples of incorrect vs correct usage:

• Incorrect: The box down was weighed with books.
• Correct: The box was weighed down with books.
• Incorrect: She weighed down with worries.
• Correct: She was weighed down with worries.

Differences / Synonyms

“Weigh sth down” is similar to “burden,” “load,” and “overload,” but it often implies making something physically heavier or emotionally heavier.

• Weigh sth down: emphasizes weight or pressure.
• Burden: usually emotional or responsibility-related.
• Load: mostly physical carrying of items.
• Overload: carrying too much, often physically or mentally.

Common Collocations

Here are some common objects or ideas that often go with “weigh sth down”:

• Backpack – a bag carried on the back
• Boat – a small vessel for water travel
• Branches – parts of a tree
• Responsibilities – duties or tasks
• Worries – feelings of anxiety

Related Phrasal Verbs

Here are related phrasal verbs of weigh sth down:

• Weigh Upon Sth
• Weigh Upon Sb
• Weigh On Sb
• Weigh Sb Down
• Weigh Sth Up

Real-life Dialogue

Here is a short conversation using “weigh sth down”:

Anna: Your bag looks really heavy. What’s inside?

Ben: It’s weighed down with all my books for class.

Anna: That must be tiring to carry around all day.

Ben: Yes, it definitely weighs me down after a while.

Practice

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of “weigh sth down”:

• The wet clothes ________ the laundry basket ________.
• She felt ________ down by the stress at work.
• The old boat was ________ down with heavy cargo.

FAQ

• What does “weigh sth down” mean? It means to make something heavier or harder to carry or deal with.
• Is “weigh down” separable? Yes, you can place the object between “weigh” and “down” or after the phrase.
• Can “weigh sth down” be used emotionally? Yes, it can describe mental or emotional pressure.
• What level is “weigh sth down” suitable for? It is suitable for intermediate learners (B2 level).
• What are common objects used with this phrase? Backpacks, boats, branches, responsibilities, and worries.