burn out

verb

burned out or burnt out; burning out; burns out

transitive verb

1

: to drive out or destroy the property of by fire

2

: to cause to fail, wear out, or become exhausted especially from overwork or overuse

intransitive verb

: to suffer burnout

Synonyms of burn out

• wear
• kill
• exhaust
• tire
• drain
• wear out
• wash out

Examples of burn out in a Sentence

working 12-hour days at that job just burned me out

Recent Examples on the Web

Better focus, fewer mistakes, stronger ideas, healthier people, and a culture that doesn’t burn out its best employees. —William Jones june 8, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 June 2026

But like many residents, Leo-Omine was burned out by this year’s ballot. —Camryn Dadey, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026

Officers are getting burnt out. —Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 2 June 2026

After a few long years of touring behind that record, she felt burnt out—and by the time COVID shut down Melbourne’s music scene, Vandal was craving disconnection, a pull to go offline. —Erica Campbell, Pitchfork, 1 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1710, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for burn out

• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout
• checkout
• closeout
• cutout
• devout
• dropout

Kids Definition

burnout

1 of 2 noun

burn·​out ˈbər-ˌnau̇t 

1

: the ending of operation of a jet or rocket engine as a result of the using up or shutting off of fuel

2

: the point in a flight at which burnout occurs

3

: exhaustion of one's bodily or mental strength

burn out

2 of 2 verb

1

: to drive out or destroy the property of by fire

2

: to cause to wear out or become exhausted

Medical Definition

burnout

noun

burn·​out ˈbərn-ˌau̇t 

1

a

: exhaustion of physical or emotional strength usually as a result of prolonged stress or frustration

b

: a person affected with burnout

2

: a person showing the effects of drug abuse