RESENTEEISM

What Does Resenteeism Mean in a Text?

Definition of Resenteeism

When used in a text, "resenteeism" means begrudgingly staying in a job. It refers to the act of employees continuing to work for an employer despite feeling resentful, disengaged, or unhappy with their job, often due to poor treatment, lack of recognition, unfair policies, or dissatisfaction with workplace conditions. Unlike presenteeism (where employees work while sick or unproductive), resenteeism involves employees showing up but with low morale, reduced productivity, and passive resistance due to unresolved grievances. This can lead to a toxic work environment, higher turnover, and decreased overall performance.

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Resenteeism involves employees showing up when they really don't want to.

Summary of Key Points

RESENTEEISM
Definition:	Begrudgingly Staying in a Job
Type:	Word
Guessability:	2: Quite easy to guess
Typical Users:	Adults

An Academic Look at Resenteeism

image for academic look, showing a teacher with a mortar board

As it is formed by merging two terms into one, resenteeism is a portmanteau word. It is a combination of the words resent and presenteeism. The word portmanteau originates from the French word for a large suitcase, made up of a blend of "porter" (to carry) and "manteau" (a cloak).

Resenteeism can also be considered a neologism, a newly coined word or phrase that has recently come into use or has been created to describe a new concept, idea, or phenomenon. Neologisms can be created in any language and can take different forms, such as:

A new meaning for an existing word (e.g., cloud, mood, tweet, viral).
A completely new word (e.g., emoji, fomo, selfie).
A new combination of existing words, or words with prefixes or suffixes (e.g., cloutrage, digital detox, oversharing, situationship).

Neologisms are often the result of changes in technology, culture, or social norms, and they can be found in fields such as science, technology, politics, and popular culture. Some neologisms become widely used and enter mainstream vocabulary, while others remain obscure or limited to specific communities or contexts.