compassion fatigue

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

compas′sion fatigue′, 

1. a lack of sympathy for suffering, as a result of continuous exposure to those in need of aid.

• 1980–85, American.

compas′sion fatigue′, 

1. a lack of sympathy for suffering, as a result of continuous exposure to those in need of aid.

• 1980–85, American.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

compassion fatigue noun

1. the inability to react sympathetically to a crisis, disaster, etc, because of overexposure to previous crises, disasters, etc