nervous exhaustion

American  

noun

1. extreme mental and physical fatigue caused by excessive emotional stress; neurasthenia.

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Etymology

Origin of nervous exhaustion

First recorded in 1925–30

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

nervous exhaustion

The duchess emerged after a seven-week stay in hospital for what palace officials described at the time as "nervous exhaustion".

From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2025

Always high-strung, he was prone to mysterious fainting spells and periods of nervous exhaustion, which led some to question his dedication.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 18, 2024

Chastain declared, referring to an incident in 1989, when Lewis was playing Hamlet at London’s National Theatre and, citing nervous exhaustion, quit the run in mid-performance, never to act onstage again.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 17, 2023

For voters, it’s a recipe for nervous exhaustion.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 30, 2017

Observations among the factory population and the workers in the clothing sweating-shops show that tea neurasthenia, presenting all the ordinary symptoms of nervous exhaustion, is especially common among these.

From Degeneracy Its Causes, Signs and Results by Eugene S. Talbot

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