burnout
Americannoun
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a fire that is totally destructive of something.
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Also burn-out fatigue, frustration, or apathy resulting from prolonged stress, overwork, or intense activity.
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Rocketry.
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the termination of effective combustion in a rocket engine, due to exhaustion of propellant.
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the end of the powered portion of a rocket's flight.
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Electricity. the breakdown of a lamp, motor, or other electrical device due to the heat created by the current flowing through it.
Etymology
Origin of burnout
First recorded in 1900–05; noun use of verb phrase burn out
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The answer is more sinister and complex than simple laziness or burnout.
From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026
“It’s a perfect storm of post-pandemic burnout and a re-evaluation of one’s priorities, and also booming AI and a sense of what’s possible,” said Samir Ahmad, 39, who lives in Breinigsville, Pa.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
Emergency repairs or system failures almost always result in overtime requests, stretching budgets and leading to burnout among employees, according to more than half of utility executives who responded to the survey.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2026
“If the extra work leads to burnout, higher expenses, or limits career growth, the benefit can disappear,” Sebesta says.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026
I said, and recognized at once that I was on the brink of a dangerous condition known as retail burnout.
From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
