as in nervous breakdown
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of basket case
Naím was once, in a happier day, the finance minister of Venezuela, and Hugo Chávez, who took a troubled but essentially prosperous country with a long democratic tradition and turned it into an international basket case, comes in for close study.
—
Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 16 May 2022
When China was an economic basket case, 100 miles of ocean was more than enough deterrent.
—Roger Wicker, WSJ, 4 May 2022
The village was literally a basket case, bereft of water, food and all hope.
—Steve West, Sun Sentinel, 21 Apr. 2022
Venezuela, another socialist basket case, slips to the second-most-miserable country in the world after six years in the pole position.
—Steve H. Hanke, National Review, 16 Mar. 2022
See All Example Sentences for basket case
Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 16 May 2022
When China was an economic basket case, 100 miles of ocean was more than enough deterrent.
—Roger Wicker, WSJ, 4 May 2022
The village was literally a basket case, bereft of water, food and all hope.
—Steve West, Sun Sentinel, 21 Apr. 2022
Venezuela, another socialist basket case, slips to the second-most-miserable country in the world after six years in the pole position.
—Steve H. Hanke, National Review, 16 Mar. 2022
See All Example Sentences for basket case
Recent Examples of Synonyms for basket case
Noun
-
But, of course, the producers didn't want Caroline to have a nervous breakdown.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Sep. 2025
-
That character is Mike Tyler (Chris Evans), a Hollywood star recovering from a recent nervous breakdown and attending a garish eco-friendly charity party for the super-super-rich that’s being held in a fantastically austere Greek mine.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
But for Apryl Shackelford, those anxieties have been replaced with opportunity.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
28 Sep. 2025
-
Even your own anxiety may play a part.—
George Petras,
USA Today,
27 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Look for spark-proof clamps and a reverse polarity alarm that will alert you if your clamps aren’t in the right position.—
Christopher Murray
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
24 Sep. 2025
-
Investigators reported that an alarm system alerted ride workers of an issue and prevented the operators from dispatching the ride.—
David Chiu,
PEOPLE,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The company has attributed much of its spending to efforts to expand its Angel Guild membership base, though detailed breakdowns of marketing costs are not publicly available.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Sep. 2025
-
To read the full breakdown and in-depth reporting by education reporter Rachel Wegner, follow the link here.—
Rosalind Bowling,
Nashville Tennessean,
24 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Basket case.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/basket%20case. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share