burnout

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

Someone whose brains have figuratively been burned out by drugs.

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

There’s no way we can hire that guy. He’s a total burnout—he can't do the work.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “burnout” mean?

Someone whose brains have figuratively been burned out by drugs.

Is “burnout” formal or informal?

burnout is generally slang.