basket case
The term "basket case" originated from World War I and has evolved to describe various states of severe dysfunction or helplessness.
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Definition
B2General
(colloquial, potentially offensive)A person unable to cope with daily life due to mental or emotional instability.
Example
- After weeks of stress at work, she felt like a complete basket case.
C1Economics
(colloquial)A country, organization, or institution in severe financial or operational difficulties.
Example
- The company turned into a basket case after the market crash.
B2General
(colloquial, potentially offensive)An individual or thing that is rendered powerless or ineffective due to extreme stress, damage, or dysfunction.
Example
- By the end of the project, he was a basket case from all the pressure.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "basket case":