What this suffix does
-laden means "loaded with": snow-laden, guilt-laden, debt-laden. It works the same for physical weight and emotional weight.
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Suffix · forms adjectives
-laden
Means "loaded with": snow-laden (loaded with snow) and guilt-laden (weighed down by guilt).
In Spanish: cargado de / lleno deIntermediate
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
How it is formed
Noun + laden.
- snow + ladensnow-laden (loaded with snow)
- debt + ladendebt-laden (loaded with debt)
- guilt + ladenguilt-laden (weighed down by guilt)
This is not a productive rule you can apply freely: it is a closed set of fixed expressions. Learn them one by one as set phrases.
How it is pronounced
-laden
Tap the button to hear how the ending sounds. Each word in the table has its own audio.
Examples
Base word
With -laden
In a phrase
- snowsnow-ladenThe snow-laden branches almost touched the ground.
- debtdebt-ladenThe debt-laden company had to sell part of its business.
- griefgrief-ladenHer voice was grief-laden as she talked about her father.
- guiltguilt-ladenHe sent a guilt-laden text apologizing for forgetting her birthday.
- troubletrouble-ladenThe trip turned out to be trouble-laden from the very first day.
Common mistakes
laden of something (prepositional error)
something-laden (compound adjective)
"Laden" already expresses "full of" or "burdened with," so the thing being carried is the base of the compound, not a prepositional phrase. Say "grief-laden" not "laden of grief." The structure is always BASE + laden, never laden + preposition + noun.
using -laden with positive qualities
-laden pairs naturally with burdens, loads, or difficult emotions
"Happiness-laden" or "joy-laden" exist but are unusual and can sound ironic. The word carries an inherent sense of weight and effort. For positive qualities, compounds like "joy-filled" or "hope-filled" are more natural.
A trick to remember it
"Laden" comes from "load". Picture a literally loaded mule: snow-LADEN = the branches are loaded with snow, as if the snow were the cargo they carry.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Form the word
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
Which sentence uses -laden most effectively?
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Frequently asked questions
What does the suffix -laden mean in English?
The suffix -laden means "loaded with": snow-laden (loaded with snow) and guilt-laden (weighed down by guilt). In Spanish it usually maps to cargado de / lleno de.
Can you give an example of a word with -laden?
"snow" becomes "snow-laden". It is a typical example of the -laden suffix.
Other useful suffixes
-bound
From the past participle of "bind": forms adjectives meaning "confined by," "heading toward," or "obligated by." Spellbound, earthbound, homebound, hidebound, snowbound, inbound.
-ridden
Forms adjectives describing something persistently dominated or plagued by something negative: guilt-ridden, debt-ridden, crime-ridden, anxiety-ridden, corruption-ridden.
-stricken
Forms adjectives describing someone or something severely affected by an emotion, condition, or calamity: poverty-stricken, grief-stricken, panic-stricken, awe-stricken, drought-stricken.
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