combat fatigue

noun

: post-traumatic stress disorder occurring under wartime conditions (such as combat) that cause intense stress : battle fatigue, shell shock

Nearly a half-million American soldiers were battle casualties during the fighting in Europe; by 1945 another 111,000 neuropsychiatric cases—then usually called combat fatigue—had been treated.

—Roger J. Spiller

The psychological strain he continues to endure has had many names over the years. In World War I, it was shell shock. In World War II, it was combat fatigue …

—Steven Lee Meyers

Examples of combat fatigue in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Caffeine helps combat fatigue and improve mental alertness, energizing you for the day ahead. —Isabel Vasquez Rd Ldn, Health, 12 Aug. 2024

Prioritize good sleep to help combat fatigue and mood swings, says Tan. —Christin Perry, Parents, 22 July 2024

Minus caffeine, plus chemicals Coffee beans naturally contain caffeine, a stimulant that many use to combat fatigue. —Devika Rao, theweek, 21 May 2024

In February, Russian pro-war channels circulated footage of a man in combat fatigues planting the American flag amidst the ruins. —Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 11 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1943, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

combat fatigue

noun

com·​bat fatigue ˈkäm-ˌbat- 

: post-traumatic stress disorder occurring under wartime conditions (as combat) that cause intense stress

called also battle fatigue, shell shock, war neurosis