sharing the burden

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "sharing the burden" is a correct and usable phrase written English.
It is typically used to mean when people collaborate together to shoulder a difficult task or responsibility. For example, "My colleagues and I worked together to share the burden of completing the project by the deadline."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

Sharing the burden is healing".

The New York Times - Science

It must now start sharing the burden with civilian leaders.

The New York Times

Now, instead of sharing the burden, we sentimentalize it.

The New York Times

And couples said they generally were sharing the burden of researching and selecting a mortgage.

The New York Times

"It's always nice to have a bunch of Davids with you sharing the burden".

The New York Times

Sharing the burden is essentially how a bowstring bridge works, too, Mr. Sloan said.

The New York Times

Sharing the burden of security with our allies is more than a fiscal necessity.

The New York Times

But they soon bogged down in long-running disagreements over sharing the burden.

The New York Times

At the same time, he shuns the idea of sharing the burden of reconstruction with other nations.

The New York Times

Journalists are again in sole control rather than sharing the burden with national team managers and captains.

The Guardian - Sport

With Remy now sharing the burden, the fans will hope that his potential strike partner eventually comes good once again.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about collaborative efforts, use "sharing the burden" to emphasize the distribution of responsibilities and the easing of individual pressure. It's particularly useful when describing tasks or projects that are complex or demanding.

Common error

Avoid using "sharing the burden" when describing situations where one party is clearly dominant or the distribution of responsibility is significantly unequal. The phrase implies a more equitable division of effort.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "sharing the burden" functions as a noun phrase or a gerund phrase, often acting as the subject or object of a sentence. It describes the action of distributing a difficult task or responsibility among multiple parties. Ludwig AI confirms this understanding through its analysis.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Science

15%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "sharing the burden" is a commonly used expression that signifies the distribution of responsibility or effort, particularly when facing a challenging task. As Ludwig AI indicates, it's grammatically sound and frequently appears in various contexts, especially in news and media. The phrase conveys a sense of collaboration and mutual support in easing individual strain. While alternatives like "distributing the load" or "splitting the responsibility" exist, "sharing the burden" uniquely emphasizes the weight or difficulty being alleviated through collective action. When employing this phrase, ensure that the context genuinely reflects a balanced distribution of effort to avoid misrepresenting the situation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Spreading the responsibility

This alternative is very similar, but emphasizes the action of dispersing the duty.

Cooperative burden-sharing

Highlights the aspect of cooperation in distributing responsibility. Burden-sharing is here intended as the activity not the "noun-thing"

Splitting the responsibility

Highlights the division of accountability.

Allocating the responsibility

Focuses on assigning specific parts of the responsibility.

Distributing the load

Focuses on the allocation of workload or tasks.

Dividing the task

Emphasizes the partitioning of a specific job or project.

Easing the load together

Emphasizes the act of alleviating a weight or difficulty collectively.

Collaborating on the challenge

Suggests a cooperative approach to overcoming an obstacle.

Pooling resources

Implies combining assets or means to tackle a problem.

Jointly undertaking the obligation

A more formal way of expressing shared responsibility.

FAQs

How can I use "sharing the burden" in a sentence?

You can use "sharing the burden" to describe how a difficult task or responsibility is divided among multiple people. For example, "By "sharing the burden", we were able to complete the project on time."

What are some alternatives to "sharing the burden"?

Some alternatives include "distributing the load", "splitting the responsibility", or "cooperative burden-sharing". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "share the burden" instead of "sharing the burden"?

Yes, "share the burden" is also correct. "Sharing the burden" is a gerund phrase (acting as a noun), while "share the burden" can be an imperative (command) or part of a clause. The choice depends on the grammatical structure of the sentence.

What does "sharing the burden" imply about the task?

The phrase "sharing the burden" often implies that the task or responsibility is difficult, demanding, or unpleasant. It suggests that collaboration is necessary to make the task more manageable.