snow-laden

USAGE SUMMARY

"snow-laden" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe something that is heavily covered or burdened with snow. An example is: "The snow-laden branches bent low under the weight." Alternative expressions include "snow-covered" and "snow-draped."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

This sent snow-laden winds blowing into Europe and Siberia.

The Economist

Parks officials warned New Yorkers to take caution anywhere there were snow-laden trees.

The New York Times

One man was killed Thursday afternoon when a snow-laden tree limb fell on him.

The New York Times

A line of snow-laden, Fuji-form volcanoes rears abruptly along the eastern horizon.

The New York Times - Travel

History hangs like snow-laden fir branches in the haunted forest of his art.

The Guardian - Arts

But the perils were all too apparent in the snow-laden peaks of the West.

The New York Times

The snow-laden slopes cater to about 20 people at a time -- 10 per Sno-Cat.

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

4 human-written examples

What the summer skiers, boarders and freestylers behold on the Horstman Glacier is a bowl-like 112 acres -- pristine, treeless -- of deep, reliable snow laden across prehistoric rubble.

The New York Times - Travel

The restlessness of my heart is quieted for a moment and I breathe in the beauty of the season -- embracing all its snow laden uncertainties while remaining rooted in gratitude for every beautiful breath I am given, the meaningful relationships that fill my life, and a steadfast hope in tomorrow.

Huffington Post

If you are the leader and come across a snow laden softwood it is helpful to say hold and jostle snow out of the tree for the people behind you.

WikiHow

Revelstoke, in the Selkirk mountains 60 miles west of Golden, is all about trees, which rear out of the steep slopes in rows like snow ghosts, their laden branches appearing calcified.

The Guardian - Travel

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use this phrase specifically when you want to convey the weight or abundance of snow, rather than just its presence.

Common error

Avoid omitting the hyphen when using the term as an attributive adjective. Additionally, do not confuse it with "snow-loaded", which is less idiomatic and sounds more technical or clunky in descriptive prose.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "snow-laden" functions as a compound adjective. It is formed by a noun (snow) and a past participle (laden) acting as an adjective. In the examples provided by Ludwig, it primarily acts as an attributive modifier for nouns like "trees", "branches", "streets" and "roofs".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Encyclopedias

8%

Wiki

4%

Less common in

Science

1%

Formal & Business

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

According to Ludwig AI and the analyzed data, "snow-laden" is a perfectly correct and highly effective compound adjective. It is most frequently used in high-quality journalism and descriptive prose to emphasize the heaviness and accumulation of snow. The phrase is almost always hyphenated when placed before a noun. Whether describing "snow-laden" trees in a park or "snow-laden" roofs during a blizzard, it conveys a sense of physical burden that simpler terms like "snowy" or "snow-covered" lack. Writers should use it when they want to highlight the impact of snow on the environment rather than just its visual appearance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

snow-covered

More general and common, referring simply to being topped with snow without emphasizing weight.

heavy with snow

A phrasal version that emphasizes the physical burden even more than the compound adjective.

burdened with snow

Focuses on the weight and the potential strain on the object, such as a branch or roof.

snow-blanketed

Evokes a thick, smooth and uniform layer of snow.

snow-draped

A more poetic alternative suggesting snow hanging elegantly over something.

white-mantled

A literary and formal way to describe a landscape covered in snow.

snow-packed

Suggests snow that has been compressed or is very dense.

snow-clogged

Used when snow is an obstacle, such as for roads or machinery.

snow-capped

Specifically refers to the tops of mountains or peaks rather than the whole object.

snow-dusted

Refers to a very light layer of snow, unlike the heavy accumulation implied by laden.

FAQs

How do I use "snow-laden" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe objects burdened by snow, for example: "The "snow-laden" trees looked like giant white sculptures in the park."

What is the difference between "snow-laden" and "snow-covered"?

While "snow-covered" just means there is snow on top, "snow-laden" specifically implies that the object is heavily loaded or weighed down by it.

Should "snow-laden" be hyphenated?

Yes, when it functions as an adjective before a noun, it should be hyphenated. If you say "the branches were laden with snow", no hyphen is needed for that specific phrasal construction.

Can I say "snow-blanketed" instead of "snow-laden"?

Yes, "snow-blanketed" is a great alternative if you want to emphasize the thickness and uniformity of the snow rather than its weight.