Meaning
- To overwork oneself or exhaust energy by doing too much, often by staying up late and waking up early.
- It typically refers to someone who is pushing themselves to their physical or mental limits, trying to accomplish too much in a short period of time, often at the expense of their well-being.
Sentence Examples
- “After weeks of burning the candle at both ends to finish the project, she finally crashed from exhaustion.”
- “You can’t keep burning the candle at both ends with late nights and early mornings—it’s going to catch up with you.”
- “He’s been burning the candle at both ends, juggling two jobs and taking care of his family.”
- “If you keep burning the candle at both ends, you’ll be too tired to enjoy your vacation when it finally arrives.”
- “She realized she was burning the candle at both ends when she started falling asleep during meetings.”
- “College students often burn the candle at both ends during exam week, cramming all night and attending classes all day.”
Origin of the Phrase
The expression is believed to date back to the 17th century and was originally literal, referring to the idea of lighting both ends of a candle.
In those times, candles were a precious commodity, and burning one at both ends would waste it, causing it to burn out quickly.
The metaphorical meaning evolved to represent wasting one’s energy or resources excessively, similar to how a candle burning at both ends would quickly be used up.
The phrase gained broader use in the 18th and 19th centuries, cementing its modern figurative meaning of living an unsustainable, overburdened lifestyle.
It also appeared in French literature before becoming more commonly used in English.
Burn the Candle at Both Ends Quotes/Captions for Social Media
Want to spice up your social media with a “Burn the candle at both ends” quote? We’ve got a collection of options for you! Check out the choices below and select the one that perfectly suits your vibe, whether you’re aiming for something motivational, humorous, relatable, or seasonal:
Motivational
- “Burning the candle at both ends might get you results, but don’t forget to fuel your own flame first.”
- “Work hard, but don’t let burning the candle at both ends snuff out your dreams.”
- “Chasing goals is admirable, but even the brightest flame needs rest to shine tomorrow.”
Funny
- “Burning the candle at both ends because sleep is overrated… said no sane person ever.”
- “If I burn the candle at both ends, does that mean I can skip cardio? Asking for a friend.”
- “Burning the candle at both ends? Great! Now I can stress out twice as fast.”
Relatable
- “It’s all fun and games until burning the candle at both ends leaves you running on coffee fumes.”
- “Burning the candle at both ends sounded like a good idea… until Monday morning hit.”
- “My life motto? Burn the candle at both ends and pray I don’t melt.”
Seasonal
- “Burning the candle at both ends this holiday season—shopping by day, wrapping by night!”
- “Winter vibes: cozy sweaters, hot cocoa, and burning the candle at both ends for last-minute gifts.”
- “New year, same me—still burning the candle at both ends to hit those midnight deadlines!”