Run out of Steam.
English
idiom
To lose energy or motivation.
Trusted by1.5M+English learners & teachers worldwide
To lose energy or motivation.
Trusted by1.5M+English learners & teachers worldwide
To lose energy, motivation, or momentum part-way through a task or effort.
When you run out of steam, you start something with enthusiasm but gradually slow down or stop because your energy is depleted.
It is used when someone or something loses the drive to keep going.
"Hit a Wall"
—
Reaching a sudden point of complete exhaustion or mental block that stops progress abruptly
"Burn Out"
—
Reaching a state of complete physical and mental exhaustion from prolonged stress or overwork
"Run out of Steam"
—
Gradually losing energy or motivation and slowing down mid-effort
The team is running out of steam — we've been on this for ten weeks straight.
Understood — let's schedule a lighter week before the final push.
Are you still working on your novel?
I've run out of steam a bit — I need a new approach to get back into it.
I keep starting my fitness routine and losing motivation after two weeks.
You're running out of steam because the goal feels too far — break it into smaller wins.
