burn·out | \ ˈbərn-ˌau̇t 
\
\Definition of burnout
(Entry 1 of 2)
1 : the cessation of operation usually of a jet or rocket engine also : the point at which burnout occurs
2a : 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
burn out
verbburned out or burnt out; burning out; burns out
Definition of burn out (Entry 2 of 2)
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
: to suffer burnout
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Synonyms & Antonyms for burnout
Synonyms: Noun
Synonyms: Verb
- break,
- bust,
- do in,
- do up,
- drain,
- exhaust,
- fag,
- fatigue,
- frazzle,
- harass,
- kill,
- knock out,
- outwear,
- tire,
- tucker (out),
- wash out,
- wear,
- wear out,
- weary
Antonyms: Noun
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Examples of burnout in a Sentence
Noun
Teaching can be very stressful, and many teachers eventually suffer burnout.
the burnout rate among teachers
a novel about academic burnouts Verb
working 12-hour days at that job just burned me out
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Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Many of my former students, now colleagues in medical laboratories all over the country, are exhausted and dealing with burnout or thoughts of quitting.
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Popular Science, "COVID-19 testing scientists are the unsung heroes of the pandemic," 16 Dec. 2020 Lakers coach Frank Vogel plans for James, who turns 36 on Dec. 30, to play and rest in shorter bursts this year to prevent burnout and major injuries during his 18th NBA season.
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Mark Medina, USA TODAY, "Mavs' Luka Doncic thrilled to hear that LeBron James wanted him for shoe deal," 24 Dec. 2020 Many of my former students, now colleagues in medical laboratories all over the country, are exhausted and dealing with burnout or thoughts of quitting.
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Popular Science, "COVID-19 testing scientists are the unsung heroes of the pandemic," 16 Dec. 2020 The bonuses come after several teachers across the state have said the extra requirements this year have led to extreme burnout and exhaustion.
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Courtney Tanner, The Salt Lake Tribune, "Utah district gives teachers a ‘COVID bonus’ for working during the pandemic," 8 Oct. 2020 Even with all of its advantages, adding too much HIIT into your overall program could lead to burnout and injury.
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Dana Santas, CNN, "Safely ramp up exercise intensity: How to reboot your workout routine," 24 Aug. 2020 But a window of opportunity seems to have closed, shut in part by the public’s fatigue and burnout from the pandemic.
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Suzan Song, STAT, "As the pandemic rages, demoralization deflates health care workers," 19 Dec. 2020 The first step in treating burnout is recognizing it.
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Macaela Mackenzie, Glamour, "Your ‘New Normal’ Burnout Is Real," 16 Dec. 2020 Many of my former students, now colleagues in medical laboratories all over the country, are exhausted and dealing with burnout or thoughts of quitting.
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Rodney E. Rohde, The Conversation, "Who is doing all those COVID-19 tests? Why you should care about medical laboratory professionals," 14 Dec. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Essentially, your brain will burn out and affect your ability to exercise.
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Nancy Clanton, ajc, "5 health mistakes to avoid repeating in 2021," 31 Dec. 2020 In sparsely populated places where people adhere to social distancing guidelines, fewer people would have to be vaccinated to burn out the virus.
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Emily Baumgaertner, Anchorage Daily News, "Can COVID-19 vaccines get us to herd immunity? ‘The jury is definitely still out’," 27 Dec. 2020 Pellman’s performance is just right on that front (as are the brief appearances by Tracey Ullman and Mary Kay Place) — let the craziness burn out, and do the right thing, and maybe things will work out in the end.
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Bill Goodykoontz, Detroit Free Press, "Don’t be fooled by Netflix’s promising invitation to ‘The Prom’," 11 Dec. 2020 Pellman’s performance is just right on that front (as are the brief appearances by Tracey Ullman and Mary Kay Place) — let the craziness burn out, and do the right thing, and maybe things will work out in the end.
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Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, "Meryl Streep and Nicole Kidman shine in 'The Prom' on Netflix. James Corden, not so much," 8 Dec. 2020 With hurricane force wind gusts, fires can quickly burn out of control.
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Jeff Berardelli, CBS News, "Hurricane force gusts prompt extremely critical fire danger in California," 24 Oct. 2020 In sparsely populated places where people adhere to social distancing guidelines, fewer people would have to be vaccinated to burn out the virus.
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Emily Baumgaertner, Anchorage Daily News, "Can COVID-19 vaccines get us to herd immunity? ‘The jury is definitely still out’," 27 Dec. 2020 In sparsely populated places where people adhere to social distancing guidelines, fewer people would have to be vaccinated to burn out the virus.
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Los Angeles Times, "Can COVID-19 vaccines get us to herd immunity? ‘The jury is definitely still out’," 26 Dec. 2020 Long conversations about race can lead to burn out.
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NBC News, "How to talk to parents about race if you're adopted or multiracial," 22 Dec. 2020
See MoreThese 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.
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More Definitions for burnout
burnout
nounEnglish Language Learners Definition of burnout
: 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
See the full definition for burnout in the English Language Learners Dictionary
burnout
nounburn·out | \ ˈbərn-ˌau̇t \
\Medical Definition of burnout
1a : 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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Time Traveler for burnout
The first known use of burnout was in 1710
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