Burn the candle at both ends
Idioms & PhrasesMEDIUM
to overwork oneself; to exhaust oneself by doing too much
Burn the candle at both ends
Idioms & PhrasesMEDIUM
to overwork oneself; to exhaust oneself by doing too much
Learning Progress
Examples
"She'd been burning the candle at both ends studying for her competitive exams and made herself ill."
"By running the startup and taking night classes he was burning the candle at both ends."
Mnemonic Trick
Picture a candle lit at both ends — it burns out much faster.
Cultural Context
Used to warn about exhaustion and poor work-rest balance.
Source: Idioms & PhrasesAdded: 11/13/2025
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