Burnout
/ˈbɜːrn.aʊt/
Definitions
A state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged or excessive stress.
/ˈbɜːrn.aʊt/
State of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged or excessive stress.
He suffered from burnout after years of overwork.
💡 Simply: Being extremely tired and stressed out from too much work or pressure.
More Examples
The high stress levels led to widespread burnout among the staff.
How It's Used
"She experienced severe burnout after years of working long hours without a break."
"The company is addressing employee burnout by implementing wellness programs."
Idioms & expressions
Burn yourself out
To exhaust oneself through overwork or stress.
"He's working too hard and will burn himself out soon."
Originating in the early 20th century, initially referring to the failure of an electrical device due to overheating. It later evolved to describe a state of physical or emotional exhaustion caused by prolonged or excessive stress.
While the word's current meaning is relatively recent, the concept of exhaustion from overwork has been present throughout history. However, the concise term 'burnout' emerged more prominently in the latter half of the 20th century.
Memory tip
Think of a candle burning out – it's exhausted and can't function anymore.