as in wearing
to use up all the physical energy of
working 12-hour days at that job just burned me out
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Recent Examples of burning out
Families are aging, caregivers are burning out, and too many people are forced into crisis placements or inappropriate settings because suitable housing options simply do not exist.
—
Fay Lenz, Hartford Courant, 9 Feb. 2026
This approach is gaining traction across sales, partnerships, and customer success teams, where professionals face constant pressure to be responsive without burning out.
—Matt Emma, USA Today, 8 Feb. 2026
Slowing down the rate at which heat left the bulb prevented the filament from burning out as quickly.
—Natalia Sánchez Loayza, Scientific American, 5 Feb. 2026
Layoff anxiety is driving side hustles, and some side hustlers are burning out trying to get a business off the ground or taking on too many side hustles.
—Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Wildfires burning out of control in southern Chile have killed at least 15 people and forced more than 50,000 to evacuate, the government said Sunday.
—CBS News, 18 Jan. 2026
Takeout used to be the pressure valve, the thing that kept us from burning out after returning from work, out of energy and willpower.
—Allyson Reedy, Denver Post, 14 Jan. 2026
Baker-Mazara played eight minutes, before burning out.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2026
Your energy is precious, and burning out no longer feels worth the adrenaline rush.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 31 Dec. 2025
Fay Lenz, Hartford Courant, 9 Feb. 2026
This approach is gaining traction across sales, partnerships, and customer success teams, where professionals face constant pressure to be responsive without burning out.
—Matt Emma, USA Today, 8 Feb. 2026
Slowing down the rate at which heat left the bulb prevented the filament from burning out as quickly.
—Natalia Sánchez Loayza, Scientific American, 5 Feb. 2026
Layoff anxiety is driving side hustles, and some side hustlers are burning out trying to get a business off the ground or taking on too many side hustles.
—Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Wildfires burning out of control in southern Chile have killed at least 15 people and forced more than 50,000 to evacuate, the government said Sunday.
—CBS News, 18 Jan. 2026
Takeout used to be the pressure valve, the thing that kept us from burning out after returning from work, out of energy and willpower.
—Allyson Reedy, Denver Post, 14 Jan. 2026
Baker-Mazara played eight minutes, before burning out.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2026
Your energy is precious, and burning out no longer feels worth the adrenaline rush.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 31 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burning out
Verb
-
Jeffrey’s wife, known as Shambles, operates the puppets from behind the curtain, while wearing their 5-year-old daughter, known as Crumbo, in a sling.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Communications student Loane Concy Clementia recently stood outside the Rabanne show at Paris Fashion Week, wearing a black bra, a white lace and satin skirt and a white fur bomber off the shoulder.—
Madeleine Schulz,
Vogue,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Three glide bombs struck the center of the eastern Ukrainian city of Sloviansk, killing four people, the head of the Donetsk regional military administration, Vadym Filashkin, said Tuesday.—
HANNA ARHIROVA THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Most of the strikes occur in the summer, killing 20 people each year, according to the NWS.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Groups usually switch out the lead skier often to avoid exhausting one person.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
9 Mar. 2026
-
As these components segregate over generations, the gene drive becomes less functional, strategy that has been described as a means of developing self-exhausting gene drives that limit geographic distribution.—
Srishti Gupta,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
This helps each step feel lighter and easier, diminishing fatigue and letting the wearer venture out farther without tiring.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
3 Dec. 2025
-
This constant barrage overshadows the self-care experience, hijacking my focus and frankly, tiring me out.—
Caelan McMichael,
Allure,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Lake Howell beat rival Oviedo, then the region’s top-seed, Mainland, before knocking out the 2025 region champ, Tocoi Creek, in an 82-77 double-overtime game.—
Buddy Collings,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Blizzard-like conditions whipped into Connecticut overnight Sunday into Monday, knocking out power to thousands of customers in the state, clogging roads, closing schools and generally creating other misery.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
These vape devices aren’t failing or wearing out.—
Ryan Brennan
March 6,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Mar. 2026
-
At the same time, Brockett emphasizes, producers are cognizant of not wearing out their welcome with viewers.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Tiny water droplets can scatter light, washing out the vivid reds and oranges.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
11 Feb. 2026
-
That's it—no waiting and washing out required.—
Kaitlin Clapinski,
InStyle,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
This boost in oil revenue would likely hand Putin new revenue for his war effort in Ukraine, an enormous expenditure that has been draining Russia’s economy, according to James Henderson at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies.—
Yuliya Talmazan,
NBC news,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Find a sunny spot in your garden with well-draining soil.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Burning out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burning%20out. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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