decision fatigue

American

[dih-sizh-uhn fuh-teeg] / dɪˈsɪʒ ən fəˌtig /

noun

Psychology, Psychiatry.

mental and emotional exhaustion resulting from excessive or relentless decision-making, especially the cumulative effect of small decisions that one makes throughout each day.

Which socks to wear or what size coffee to order may seem trivial, but add them to the other 30,000 choices you’ll make today, and you’ve got the recipe for decision fatigue.

Etymology

Origin of decision fatigue

First recorded in 2000–05

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.

Not because couples disagree about politics, but because higher costs increase decision fatigue and reduce margin for error.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 20, 2026

Reduce decision fatigue by having a set rhythm to your days - a predictable structure can take pressure off your working memory.

From BBC • Sep. 14, 2025

It won’t be surprising if they adopt a similar channel model to cash in on users’ decision fatigue and nostalgia for major IP: one channel for Disney princesses, one channel for The Sopranos, etc.

From Slate • May 25, 2024

My girlfriends and I were all experiencing this decision fatigue around food.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 5, 2024

I don't think you need decision fatigue to explain the explosion of mental health problems.

From Salon • Feb. 15, 2022

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023