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Showing results for millstone.
Definitions

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.

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

While he said the charity does an "enormous amount of good work" across the UK "it is beleaguered with the Assured Scheme" which he said was like a "millstone" around the charity's neck.

From BBC • Dec. 21, 2024

"It's a real millstone - everything you are doing is subject to scrutiny," said John Reed Stark, a former chief of the SEC's Office of Internet Enforcement.

From Reuters • Nov. 24, 2023

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