compassion fatigue: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
MediumFormal, Technical, Academic
Quick answer
What does “compassion fatigue” mean?
A state of emotional and physical exhaustion and reduced ability to empathise, caused by prolonged exposure to the suffering of others, especially through media or professional work.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A state of emotional and physical exhaustion and reduced ability to empathise, caused by prolonged exposure to the suffering of others, especially through media or professional work.
A phenomenon where an individual becomes desensitised or indifferent to charitable appeals or news stories about crises due to repeated exposure, often leading to reduced donations or engagement. It can also refer to a secondary traumatic stress response in caregiving professions.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or grammatical differences. The concept is used identically.
Connotations
Equally carries connotations of psychological strain, burnout, and societal apathy in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English corpus data, likely due to higher discourse on therapy and self-help culture, but widely used in both.
Grammar
How to Use “compassion fatigue” in a Sentence
[Subject] suffers from/experiences/has compassion fatigue.[Situation/Cause] leads to/results in compassion fatigue.There is/widespread/growing compassion fatigue among [Group].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “compassion fatigue” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Healthcare workers can compassion-fatigue if support systems aren't in place.
- The public are beginning to compassion-fatigue from the endless crisis coverage.
American English
- Many nurses compassion-fatigue after years in the ICU.
- Donors compassion-fatigue when asked too frequently.
adverb
British English
- He listened compassion-fatiguedly to yet another hard-luck story.
- She responded compassion-fatiguedly to the donation request.
American English
- They nodded compassion-fatiguedly during the briefing on the disaster.
adjective
British English
- The compassion-fatigued public gave less to the appeal.
- She felt compassion-fatigued and needed a break.
American English
- Compassion-fatigued responders are a risk to themselves and patients.
- He was too compassion-fatigued to watch the news.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might be used in CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) discussions about donor engagement or employee volunteer programmes.
Academic
Common in psychology, sociology, nursing, and media studies journals to describe psychological effects of caregiving or media saturation.
Everyday
Used when discussing news overload, constant charitable appeals, or feeling overwhelmed by others' problems.
Technical
A clinical term in psychology, counselling, and humanitarian work for a specific stress disorder.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “compassion fatigue”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “compassion fatigue”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “compassion fatigue”
- Using it as an adjective incorrectly (e.g., 'I feel very compassion fatigue' – correct: 'I am suffering from compassion fatigue').
- Confusing it with simple boredom or lack of interest; it specifically involves prior compassion becoming exhausted.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, though related. Burnout is general work-related exhaustion. Compassion fatigue is specifically the exhaustion of one's capacity for empathy due to exposure to others' trauma.
Yes, with rest, self-care, professional support, and sometimes a reduction in exposure to traumatic material, individuals can recover their capacity for empathy.
Caregivers, healthcare workers, therapists, humanitarian aid workers, journalists, and anyone repeatedly exposed to the suffering of others, either directly or through media.
Absolutely not. It is a normal psychological reaction to prolonged stress and empathy. It indicates that a person has been caring deeply, not that they lack compassion.
A state of emotional and physical exhaustion and reduced ability to empathise, caused by prolonged exposure to the suffering of others, especially through media or professional work.
Compassion fatigue is usually formal, technical, academic in register.
Compassion fatigue: in British English it is pronounced /kəmˈpæʃ.ən fəˌtiːɡ/, and in American English it is pronounced /kəmˈpæʃ.ən fəˌtiɡ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To be all compassion-fatigued out.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a nurse named 'Compassion' who is so tired ('fatigued') from constantly caring for patients that she can't feel empathy anymore. The name itself tells the story.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMPASSION IS A RESOURCE THAT CAN BE DEPLETED. / EMPATHY IS A MUSCLE THAT CAN GET TIRED.
Practice
Quiz
In which professional field is 'compassion fatigue' a recognised occupational hazard?