Death from overwork — literally working yourself to death through excessive stress, long hours, and exhaustion. It's when dedication to work becomes a fatal medical condition rather than an admirable trait.
Japanese compound of 'karo' (excessive labor) + 'shi' (death). The term gained prominence in 1980s Japan during the economic boom when extreme work culture led to documented deaths from stress, heart attacks, and strokes directly attributed to overwork. It forced Japanese society to confront the deadly consequences of work obsession.
This word is both heartbreaking and urgent. The Japanese had to CREATE a word because people were literally dying from working too much — and that forced the whole world to wake up and ask: 'Wait, when did we decide that work was worth dying for?' Karoshi isn't just a Japanese problem; it's a global wake-up call. Every time someone says 'I'm working myself to death,' they're closer to karoshi than they think. Sometimes the most important word is the one that warns us to stop.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.