ˈbə:nˈaut noun Frequently
written burnout (Health
and Fitness)
Physical or
emotional exhaustion, usually caused by
stress at
work;
more generally,
apathy, disillusionment, or low
morale.
Also as an
intransitive verb burn
out, to
suffer from this kind of stress exhaustion;
adjective burned (or burnt) out.
Etymology: A noun formed on
the verbal phrase burn
oneself out,
meaning 'to
use up
all one's physical or emotional resources'; the noun burn-out
already existed in the more
literal sense of the
complete destruction of
something by
fire, as well as in
two technical senses.
History and
Usage: The burn-out
syndrome,
which is thought to be a
direct result of the high-stress lifestyles of the
past two decades,
was first identified and named in the mid seventies by
American psychotherapist Herbert J. Freudenberger.
Once the
preserve of
those in jobs requiring a
high level of emotional
commitment (such as
charity work,
medicine, and teaching), burn-out
soon started affecting
professional sportspeople, executives, and entertainers,
too. In the
late eighties, the
word remained
very fashionable,
taking over from the more old-fashioned terms
depression (imprecise
except as a
clinical term) and
nervous breakdown (for cases of complete burn-out). The
most moderate form of burnout occurs
when the sufferer endures a
heavy stressload.
Management Today July 1989, p. 122
She may find herself trapped
into trying to
please everybody and do
everything,
failing to set boundaries to
her role, which leads to
chronic overwork and burn-out.
Nursing Times 29 Nov.-5 Dec. 1989, p. 51
Addled with divorce headaches and postBorn burnout,
Cruise isn't
doing press; but
would you like to
talk to Don and
Jerry, perhaps?
Premiere June 1990, p. 92
