burnout

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noun burn·out \ ˈbərn-ˌau̇t \

Definition of burnout

1 :the cessation of operation usually of a jet or rocket engine; also :the point at which burnout occurs

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

b :a person suffering from burnout

3 :a person showing the effects of drug abuse

See burnout defined for English-language learners

See burnout defined for kids

Examples of burnout in a Sentence

Teaching can be very stressful, and many teachers eventually suffer burnout.
the burnout rate among teachers
a novel about academic burnouts

Recent Examples of burnout from the Web

Issues like burnout, inadequate compensation relative to the field's costs, and quality of life all play a part in doctor engagement across the gender continuum.

— sy mukherjee, Fortune, "Women In Medicine Face the Same Barriers to Success as Women in Tech," 8 Aug. 2017
Like Federer, the 35-year-old tennis superstar who took time off because of injuries and to avoid burnout, both Spieth and Koepka are rested.

— Sun-Sentinel.com, "Newman grad and U.S. Open champ Brooks Koepka stays hot, shares British Open 1st-round lead," 20 July 2017
Millennial women in particular are experiencing burnout and higher rates of depression.

— casey quinlan, Glamour, "Mental Health Matters, But Millennial Women Are Still Afraid to Speak Up," 20 July 2017
Manning said, referencing their historic last-quarter burnout that gave the game to the New England Patriots.

— julie miller, Vanities, "Inside Vanity Fair’s Exclusive 2017 ESPYs After Party with Peyton Manning, Jon Stewart, and More," 13 July 2017
But in the end, Truex indeed was spewing victory burnout smoke over the grandstands at Kentucky Speedway.

— tom groeschen, The Courier-Journal, "Truex Jr. breaks Busch, Keselowski stranglehold at Kentucky Speedway," 9 July 2017
The Kiwi hasn’t won in a year amid numerous caddie firings and talk of burnout.

— gary d'amato, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "D'Amato: No. 1 ranking proves elusive in women's golf," 5 July 2017
In firefighting terminology, a burnout is when a fire is started inside the fire control line in an effort to consume fuel from the edge of the fire to the control line, according to the USDA Forest Service.

— michael williams, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Roads open as wildfire continues to burn in Brevard," 28 June 2017
After a journey through many traditional medical disciplines, her diagnosis was just burnout — no cancer, no stroke, no sneaky diabetes.

— amy larocca, The Cut, "The Wellness Epidemic," 27 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'burnout.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of burnout

1940

burnout Synonyms

Synonyms

fatigue, collapse, exhaustion, frazzle, lassitude, prostration, tiredness, weariness

Antonyms

refreshment, rejuvenation, rejuvenescence, revitalization

Related Words

debilitation, debility, disablement, enervation, enfeeblement, faintness, feebleness, frailness, frailty, impotence, infirmity, weakness; overfatigue; languor, lethargy, listlessness; sluggishness, slumber, stupor, torpidity, torpor; apathy, inertia, passiveness, passivity

Near Antonyms

bounce, dash, drive, energy, ginger, go, liveliness, pep, punch, sap, snap, starch, verve, vigor, vim, vitality, zing, zip; might, muscle, potency, power, puissance, strength; briskness, jauntiness, spiritedness, sprightliness, vivaciousness, vivacity

burn out

verb

Definition of burn 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

See burn out defined for kids

Examples of burn out in a Sentence

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

First Known Use of burn out

1710

burn out Synonyms

Synonyms

break, exhaust, bust, do in, do up, drain, fag, fatigue, frazzle, harass, kill, knock out, outwear, tire, tucker (out), wash out, wear, wear out, weary

Related Words

debilitate, enervate, enfeeble, sap, waste, weaken

Near Antonyms

activate, energize, invigorate, rejuvenate, strengthen, vitalize; relax, rest, unwind

BURNOUT Defined for English Language Learners

burnout

play

noun

Definition of burnout for English Language Learners

: the condition of someone who has become very physically and emotionally tired after doing a difficult job for a long time
: a person who suffers burnout
: the time when a jet or rocket engine stops working because there is no more fuel available

Medical Dictionary

burnout

play

noun burn·out \ ˈbərn-ˌau̇t \

medical Definition of burnout

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

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burn out

Definition of burn out

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First Known Use of burn out

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BURNOUT Defined for English Language Learners

burnout

Definition of burnout for English Language Learners

Medical Dictionary

burnout

medical Definition of burnout

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