burden of conscience

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "burden of conscience" is correct and usable in written English.
It is often used to describe the feeling of guilt or worry resulting from a moral dilemma. For example, "Helen felt the burden of conscience after lying to her parents."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

For Christians, this heavy burden of conscience of their brothers and sisters during the Second World War must be a call to penitence.

The New York Times

We have left them to bear the burden of conscience for all of us.

Huffington Post

Oborne dismisses Allen's reasoning as "disastrously muddled", pointing out that Cobham's advice was far more up-to-date than Douglas-Home's, and that there would have been no burden of conscience for the team selectors as the new information would have caused the tour to be cancelled.

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

When it comes to saving the world, Glasto is firmly part of the Geldof-Bono Axis of Bleeding Hearts; the philosopher Thomas Hobbes averred that charity exists to relieve the rich man of the burden of his conscience, but the consciences I encountered already seemed pretty unburdened.

Vice

The prospect of human cheapening nags at him, and the burden of his conscience is carried, in this movie, by Kate.

The New Yorker

Charity largely exists to relieve the rich man of the burden of his conscience, which is why rehab shouldn't have to be funded by charitable donations.

The Guardian

Factor in the work's profound themes -- guilt, the legacy of violence, the role of law, the burden of individual conscience -- and it is easy to understand why the three plays are considered by many to be at the summit of dramatic literature in the West.

The New York Times

To her knowledge only the third novel ever to tackle the genocide of "Year Zero", it carried a heavy burden of historical conscience, posing a question that has become central to her literary project: "If a person erases him or herself in order to survive, how can they find that self again?

The Guardian - Books

Scene  5 – Oh Lord: The Church is in league with the Devil Back in the prison cell with the ever-silent Jesus, the Grand Inquisitor acknowledges that because of the excessive burden of freedom of conscience, "We have corrected Thy work and founded it on miracle, mystery and authority".

The New York Times

So that while the liberal state is pledged to refrain from burdening the claims of conscience, were it to surrender itself to them, it would, says Leiter, "cease being a state".

The New York Times

While companies are still out to maximise their profits, they have recently begun to take on the added burden of relieving our conscience.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "burden of conscience" when you want to emphasize the weighty feeling of moral responsibility that someone carries, often after making a difficult decision or witnessing injustice.

Common error

Avoid using "burden of conscience" when the intended meaning is a long-term, often subconscious, pattern of feeling guilty or unworthy. "Burden of conscience" typically refers to a specific moral dilemma or action, while a guilt complex is a more pervasive psychological condition.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "burden of conscience" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the subject or object of a sentence. Ludwig's examples show its use to describe a feeling of moral or ethical weight that someone carries. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, the phrase is correct and widely used.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

25%

Science

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "burden of conscience" effectively communicates the weight of moral or ethical responsibility. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and common usage, particularly in news, wiki, and science contexts. While similar to phrases like "guilty conscience" or "moral responsibility", it distinctly emphasizes the feeling of being burdened. When writing, be mindful of its formal tone and ensure it aligns with the context. Avoid conflating it with broader psychological concepts like a "guilt complex". By understanding its nuances, you can use "burden of conscience" to powerfully convey the weight of moral decisions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

guilty conscience

Directly states that the conscience is feeling guilt, which results in a burden.

moral weight

Uses 'weight' to represent the heavy feeling of moral obligation, similar to 'burden'.

ethical burden

Simplifies the phrase while retaining the core meaning of a heavy moral obligation.

weight of guilt

Focuses more directly on the feeling of guilt as the primary stressor.

ethical responsibility

Emphasizes the responsibility aspect, specifically related to ethics and moral duties.

moral responsibility

Shifts the emphasis to the obligation one feels due to ethical considerations.

ethical dilemma

Highlights the challenging choice between conflicting moral principles.

pangs of remorse

Emphasizes the sharp, painful feelings associated with regret.

moral qualms

Highlights the feeling of uneasiness or doubt about the rightness of an action.

sense of accountability

Focuses on the feeling of being answerable for one's actions and their consequences.

FAQs

How can I use "burden of conscience" in a sentence?

You can use "burden of conscience" to describe the feeling of unease or moral distress someone experiences after doing something they regret. For example, "The politician carried the "burden of conscience" after voting against the bill."

What's a simpler way to say "burden of conscience"?

Alternatives to "burden of conscience" include "guilty conscience", "weight of guilt", or "moral responsibility". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is "burden of conscience" the same as "moral dilemma"?

While related, they are not the same. A "moral dilemma" is the situation presenting the difficult choice, whereas "burden of conscience" is the feeling that results from that choice.

Can inanimate objects have a "burden of conscience"?

No, the "burden of conscience" is a feeling experienced by individuals. It would be more appropriate to describe the consequences of an action or decision as placing a "burden" on something, rather than attributing a conscience to it.