load
26 synonyms and 0 antonyms for load, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Verb — To put a quantity of goods, cargo, or material onto or into something for transport or storage.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use load
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
Originally from Old English lād, "way, course, journey" — the "burden" meaning branched off in Middle English by association with the unrelated verb "lade."
Full origin of load →Frequently asked questions
What does “load” mean?
The word “load” means to put a quantity of goods, cargo, or material onto or into something for transport or storage. In plain terms, to put something onto/into a vehicle, weapon, or computer program — or, as a noun, the amount being carried.
How do you pronounce “load”?
“Load” is pronounced lohd (/loʊd/ in IPA).
How do you use “load” in a sentence?
Here is “load” used in a sentence: “They loaded the boxes onto the truck.”
What part of speech is “load”?
Depending on how it is used, “load” can be a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “load” come from?
The word “load” comes from Old English. Originally from Old English lād, "way, course, journey" — the "burden" meaning branched off in Middle English by association with the unrelated verb "lade.".
Is “load” a common word?
“Load” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “load” have?
“Load” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to put a quantity of goods, cargo, or material onto or into something for transport or storage.
What is the difference between 'load' and 'unload'?
They are opposites. To load is to put goods, cargo, or material onto or into something for transport or storage, like loading boxes into a van. To unload is the reverse: taking that cargo back out and emptying the vehicle or container. You load at the start of a trip and unload at the end.
What is an example of loading something?
Everyday examples include loading groceries into the trunk of a car, loading pallets onto a truck with a forklift, and loading cargo containers onto a ship. On a smaller scale, you might load laundry into a washing machine or load logs onto a cart, filling it for transport or storage.
What is the opposite of load?
The direct opposite is unload, meaning to remove what was put on or in. Related words include empty, unpack, and offload. For instance, dockworkers load a ship in one port and unload it in another, and a delivery driver loads the van in the morning and offloads parcels all day.