basket case

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A person who is emotionally or mentally unstable: "basket case" refers to someone who is extremely anxious, overwhelmed, or unable to cope with stress.
   • A country, organization, or system that is in a hopeless or failing condition: Used metaphorically to describe a situation that is beyond repair or recovery.

Usage Examples

• (She was emotionally distraught and unable to function.)
• (The business was in a hopeless state.)
• (He was overwhelmed by anxiety.)

Advanced Usage

• "to be a basket case": to be in a state of extreme distress or dysfunction.
  • The team was a basket case after losing ten games in a row. (They were in a state of collapse.)
• "to turn into a basket case": to become emotionally or mentally unstable.
  • The pressure of the job turned him into a basket case. (The stress caused him to break down.)

Variants and Related Words

• Basket-case (adj): describing a person or situation that is hopeless or unstable.
  • The basket-case economy required international aid. (The economy was failing.)
• Basket-case (n, informal): a person who is extremely nervous or anxious.
  • Don't be such a basket-case about the interview. (Don't be overly anxious.)

Synonyms

• Wreck: a person in a very distressed or disorganized state.
• Meltdown: a sudden breakdown of emotional control.
• Disaster: a situation that is completely unsuccessful or hopeless.
• Failure: a person or thing that does not succeed.

Related Idioms

• "a nervous wreck": a person who is extremely anxious or stressed.
  • She was a nervous wreck before the speech. (She was very anxious.)
• "a lost cause": a person or thing that cannot be saved or improved.
  • The project was a lost cause from the start. (It was hopeless.)

Etymology Note

The term "basket case" originated during World War I, referring to a soldier who had lost all four limbs and was carried in a basket. Over time, the meaning shifted to describe emotional or mental instability.