a burdened conscience

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a burdened conscience" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing someone who feels guilt or moral weight due to their actions or decisions. Example: "After lying to his friend, he was left with a burdened conscience that haunted him for days."

✓ Grammatically correct

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

While projecting the values that make the Kostelnicka an esteemed community figure, Ms. Larmore makes one acutely aware of the woman's overly burdened conscience, which reduces her to a figure trembling with guilt at the close of the shattering second act.

The New York Times - Arts

The corrupting influence of money is the Dickensian theme of Amis's novel, as his antihero, a thug burdened by a conscience, wins the lottery and is baffled by legitimate wealth.

The New York Times - Books

Pity poor Lionel Asbo, a thug burdened by a vestigial conscience, his every ignoble thought and gesture determined by his maker, Martin Amis, a man not given to mercy.

The New York Times - Books

He added, "It burdened my conscience to know that the existence or demise of an establishment might depend on the praise or damnation to be found in the Times".

The New Yorker

But "OITNB" is also very clear-eyed about the fact that some of the women simply enjoyed breaking the rules and/or weren't overly burdened with consciences, and it's clear that "OITNB" has no issue with society's right to curb on their freedom, at least temporarily.

Huffington Post

Chloe is gifted with qualities that most of her neighbors would consider a burden: a social conscience that makes her an effective advocate for crime victims; a sensible core that marks her as an outsider in the dippity-do hippie culture; and certain moral scruples that keep her from going after married cowboys.

The New York Times - Books

Respondent 3: The rule that I, myself, follow in those sorts of situations is that you cannot place a burden on someone' s conscience.

BMC Public Health

Though little known, perhaps no other moment since the Emancipation Proclamation might well have burdened America's conscience as much.

HuffPost

In the ethical dilemmas narrated, the physicians were not only burdened by a troubled conscience, but were also challenged by feelings of being left alone, burdened with moral responsibility, not understood and questioned about their way of handling the dilemma.

BMC Medical Ethics

The narratives about ethically difficult situations that caused the physicians to feel burdened by a troubled conscience concerned situations when they felt hesitant and uncertain about their professional responsibility.

BMC Medical Ethics

Why could the program not be invalidated on the ground that it placed a burden on a student's "religious conscience," he asked, by forcing students to choose secular majors if they wanted the scholarship money.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a burdened conscience" to describe a character's internal conflict after a morally questionable decision to add depth to their emotional state.

Common error

Avoid using "a burdened conscience" as a shortcut to show character development. Ensure the burden is demonstrated through actions and consequences, not just stated.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a burdened conscience" functions as a noun phrase, often serving as the object or subject complement in a sentence. It describes a state of moral unease or guilt, as confirmed by Ludwig's analysis.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

News & Media

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Science

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Formal & Business

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Less common in

Academia

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Encyclopedias

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Wiki

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a burdened conscience" describes a state of moral unease or guilt. Ludwig AI indicates that it is grammatically correct and can be used to convey an individual's internal struggle with remorse or ethical responsibility. While no exact examples were found in the provided data, the phrase is likely to appear in neutral to formal registers, particularly in news, media, and discussions of ethical dilemmas. Consider alternatives like "a guilty conscience" or "a troubled conscience" for similar meanings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a guilty conscience

Emphasizes the feeling of guilt resulting from wrongdoing.

a troubled conscience

Highlights the disturbance and unease within one's moral sense.

a heavy conscience

Focuses on the significant weight of one's moral burden.

a remorseful heart

Shifts the focus to the emotional state of deep regret and sorrow.

a conscience weighed down by guilt

Expands on the idea of guilt adding burden to one's conscience.

a conscience filled with regret

Highlights the feeling of regret being the source of one's troubled conscience.

a morally burdened soul

Replaces "conscience" with "soul", adding a spiritual dimension to the burden.

a conscience laden with guilt

Uses "laden" to emphasize the heaviness of the guilt.

a conscience tormented by remorse

Focuses on the torment and suffering caused by remorse.

a conscience oppressed by guilt

Uses "oppressed" to highlight the suppressive nature of guilt on one's conscience.

FAQs

How can I describe someone with "a burdened conscience"?

You can describe their actions, expressions, or inner thoughts. For instance, they might constantly revisit past decisions, display visible signs of stress, or express feelings of guilt and remorse.

What are some alternatives to "a burdened conscience"?

You can use alternatives like "a guilty conscience", "a troubled conscience", or "a heavy conscience" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it grammatically correct to say "a conscience is burdened"?

Yes, "a conscience is burdened" is grammatically correct. It's a passive construction that emphasizes the state of the conscience being affected by a burden.

What's the difference between "a burdened conscience" and "a clear conscience"?

"A burdened conscience" implies a feeling of guilt or moral weight due to past actions, while "a clear conscience" suggests a lack of guilt or regret, indicating that one's actions align with their moral principles.