take a load off

VERB

kick back

Synonyms

STRONGEST

lie down recline sit back take it easy unwind

WEAK

breathe easy calm down catch one's breath chill out collect oneself compose oneself cool off feel at home hang loose loosen up make oneself at home mellow out put one's feet up rest settle back sit around take a break take a breather take ten wind down

VERB

lighten

Synonyms

STRONGEST

brighten

STRONG

cheer elate encourage gladden hearten lift revive

WEAK

buoy up perk up

Antonyms

STRONG

bring down depress discourage dishearten dispirit dissuade

WEAK

blacken burden darken dim dull upset weigh down

VERB

lighten

Synonyms

STRONGEST

alleviate ameliorate cut down dilute ease facilitate lessen mitigate mollify relieve

STRONG

allay assuage attenuate buoy change comfort decrease disburden disencumber empty eradicate extenuate free jettison levitate reduce remove shift take thin unburden unload upraise

WEAK

make less make lighter pour out put off throw out uplight

Antonyms

STRONGEST

aggravate incite increase intensify irritate strengthen trouble upset worry worsen

STRONG

add expand fill fix grow hold keep plant provoke raise remain stay

WEAK

blacken bring down burden darken depress dim dull weigh down

VERB

sit

Synonyms

STRONG

be seated give feet a rest grab a chair have a place have a seat hunker park perch plop down pose posture put it there relax remain rest seat seat oneself settle squat take a place take a seat

Antonyms

STRONGEST

depart move stand straighten

VERB

unlade

Synonyms

STRONG

cast disburden discharge discommode disencumber disgorge dump jettison lighten relieve remove rid slough unburden unpack void

WEAK

break bulk clear out get rid of off-load

Antonyms

STRONG

burden hold keep load upset

VERB

unload

Synonyms

STRONGEST

clear out discharge disgorge dump get rid of jettison off-load remove unpack

STRONG

cast disburden discommode disencumber lighten relieve rid slough unburden unlade void

WEAK

break bulk

Antonyms

STRONGEST

fill hold keep load

STRONG

burden upset

WEAK

put on

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

take a load off

For the uninitiated: What a cane seems to do is take a load off, even though you carry it on only one side.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 18, 2025

In an effort to get MLB batting leader Michael Brantley to take a load off his feet, Baker started Alvarez in left field and used Brantley as the designated hitter.

From Fox News ● Jun. 24, 2021

In an effort to get MLB batting leader Michael Brantley to take a load off his feet, Astros manager Dusty Baker started Alvarez in left field and used Brantley as the designated hitter.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 23, 2021

That ought to take a load off his shoulders.

From New York Times ● Oct. 5, 2020

Again, everybody meant well, and I was really hoping that the money this raised would take a load off of my parents’ shoulders, but the intensity of all the attention was pretty high.

From "Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie" by Jordan Sonnenblick

take a load off

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Related Words