burnout 1 of 2

noun

ˈbərn-ˌau̇t How to pronounce burnout (audio)
Definition of burnoutnext
as in exhaustion
a complete depletion of energy or strength people in that job often suffer burnout and have to retire at a relatively early age

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

burn out

2 of 2

verb

as in to wear
to use up all the physical energy of working 12-hour days at that job just burned me out

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 burnout
Noun
Robin Williams wore it as the unorthodox poetry teacher in Dead Poets Society; Donald Sutherland donned his own wide-wale version as the burnout professor in Animal House. — John Vorwald, Robb Report, 10 Oct. 2026 In the meantime, experts say there are small steps individual caregivers can take themselves to prevent burnout. — ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026
Verb
Move too quickly and organizations burn out, make avoidable mistakes, or outrun their capabilities. — Harvard Business Review, 29 Sep. 2026 But if you’re burned out and feeling the strain of juggling work with personal commitments, a sabbatical could be worth considering. — Maurie Backman, Washington Post, 28 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for burnout
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burnout
  1. exhaustion
  2. wear
  3. fatigue
  4. kill
  5. exhaust
  6. tire
  7. drain
  8. wear out
Noun
  • Security by exhaustion The internet is held together with shoestring and bubblegum.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Change fatigue is a state of exhaustion workers may experience after going through many changes at their employer.
    — Sarah Jackson, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of exhaustion
Verb
  • Anduril’s technology will focus on equipment worn by the animals, not genetic modifications.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Architect Brent Buck first met Whit Bernard and Freya Zaheer in a cornfield wearing a flannel shirt.
    — Elizabeth Fazzare, Architectural Digest, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of wear
Noun
  • Indeed, even after modern jeans were invented in the late 19th century, denim continued to be used to make such apparel as work jackets, prison uniforms, naval fatigues, and jumpsuits.
    — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Oct. 2026
  • But many live with fatigue, weakness, brain fog and other symptoms for months or years before a deficiency is caught.
    — Amanda Schupak, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of fatigue
Verb
  • Support for the populist had eroded since 16 people were killed in 2024 when a concrete canopy collapsed at a train station in Novi Sad.
    — JOVANA GEC, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The military campaign that ensued has killed more than 70,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
    — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of kill
Verb
  • When all out-of-court options have been exhausted, and the MCA debt threatens the immediate survival of an otherwise viable business, legal reorganization is the final angle of management.
    — Nathan Mor, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Like athletes in other pro leagues, NFL players must first exhaust out-of-court arbitration and grievance procedures.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of exhaust
Verb
  • The victim continues to experience symptoms from the poisoning, including not being able to focus, tiring easily and a loss of sensation in his left hand, Gomelsky said.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The alleged victim continues to experience symptoms from the poisoning, including not being able to focus, tiring easily and a loss of sensation in his left hand, Gomelsky said.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of tire
Verb
  • Allen drained it to extend Charlotte’s lead to 20, and then found Dennis Schröder for a high-five as Miami called a timeout.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 25 Oct. 2026
  • In hopes of restoring the water's blue hue, park rangers partially drained Morning Glory in the 1970s to extract debris.
    — Sadie Chafe, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of drain
Verb
  • Armrest covers handle the high-use areas that wear out first and double as a coordinated accent.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Then the beeps will become evenly spaced until the alarm is silenced, the prongs dry out, or the battery wears out.
    — John R. Delaney, PC Magazine, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of wear out

Browse Nearby Words

burnooses
burnout
burn out
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Burnout.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burnout. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of milieu

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All