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learned helplessness

British  

noun

  1. the act of giving up trying as a result of consistent failure to be rewarded in life, thought to be a cause of depression

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

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In a pathetic display of learned helplessness, California business leaders have collaborated in their own abasement.

From The Wall Street Journal Jun. 17, 2026

Better equipped to mother Boy No. 2 or stricken with learned helplessness from being coddled by an expert on my phone day in and day out?

From Slate May 10, 2026

Many antidepressants, along with deep-brain stimulation and ketamine, work by activating the same pathways in the brain involved with learned helplessness, Mayburg said.

From Salon Mar. 18, 2025

You’re not the first person who has used the term learned helplessness.

From Slate Mar. 17, 2025

A local psychologist is finishing a lecture on how to overcome "learned helplessness" and believe you have the power to change your life.

From BBC Jun. 3, 2024

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