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basket-case



basket case
NOUN
nervous person
Synonyms


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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Two decades ago the District was a potholed basket-case that was losing people to the suburbs.

From Economist Jan. 12, 2017

While the country's basket-case economy has been a concern for some time, the latter could not have been foreseen.

From BBC Jan. 23, 2015

Not bad for stock trading at $5 during the depths of the credit crunch in early 2009, when chief executive Neil Berkett's comment that he had inherited a financial basket-case was fresh in memories.

From The Guardian Feb. 5, 2013

Today, after little more than a year of democratic reform, the dominant description of Burma has changed in many circles from basket-case pariah to promising frontier economy.

From Newsweek Sep. 17, 2012

The rapidly crumbling situation was deeply humiliating to the Syrians, who eagerly entered the Lebanese imbroglio last summer and broadly advertised their aim of imposing a salutary Pax Syriana on the Arab world's basket-case country.

From Time Magazine Archive

"A lot of other people, you know, you read stories where they become basket cases. To be honest, I'm not a basket case."

From Barron's Apr. 26, 2026

But Welch’s legacy took a hit following his retirement as GE went from America’s most-valuable company to a basket case, eventually splitting in three under an outsider’s management.

From The Wall Street Journal Mar. 17, 2026

They are still a basket case of a club, and you could say the same about West Ham.

From BBC Dec. 1, 2025

Fifteen years later, Libya remains a basket case of militias, warlords and weak institutions.

From Los Angeles Times Nov. 12, 2025

“We’ve got over forty-five minutes, darling. Hold your horses. You’re going to turn me into a basket case if you don’t relax. Let’s go pray at the shrine.”

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy




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