millstone

[mil-stohn] / ˈmɪlˌstoʊn /

NOUN

heavy mental or emotional burden

Synonyms

STRONGEST

burden

STRONG

accountability affliction albatross anxiety blame charge concern cross difficulty encumbrance grievance hardship hindrance load misfortune onus punishment responsibility strain stress task trial trouble worry

WEAK

deadweight mental weight thorn in one's side

Antonyms

STRONG

advantage aid assistance benefit blessing calmness contentment ease encouragement exculpation exoneration happiness health help peace praise tranquility

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“She’s reduced the price. She can’t shift this property and it’s become a bit of a millstone around her neck.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2026

"She probably thought she was leaving something to her offspring, only to find that it's become a millstone," says Taylor.

From BBC • Feb. 5, 2026

If he did so, his quotes against divorce would be an online millstone around his neck.

From Salon • Nov. 26, 2025

“As the only sector to record a negative return in Q3, staples was the proverbial millstone around quality’s neck.”

From Barron's • Oct. 27, 2025

Paradoxically, a series of ‘improvements’, each of which was meant to make life easier, added up to a millstone around the necks of these farmers.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari

millstone

Example Sentences

Related Words