nervous breakdown
noun
: an attack of mental or emotional disorder especially when of sufficient severity to require hospitalization
Examples of nervous breakdown in a Sentence
She had a nervous breakdown shortly after her sister's death.
He is on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
Recent Examples on the Web
In 2019, essayist Sarah Chihaya had a nervous breakdown that coincided with a bout of the titular anxiety disorder, which causes someone to have an intense and irrational fear of books and writing.
—
Shannon Carlin, TIME, 31 Jan. 2025
The film has a few major plot holes, mostly concerning the present-tense family meal where Lucas seems to be having a nervous breakdown.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 27 Jan. 2025
Paterson beautifully depicts a man who’s quietly, and sometimes not so quietly, experiencing a nervous breakdown as the world around him grows stranger and more absurd.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2024
In the 2023 series, which was canceled after one season, Depp played pop star Jocelyn, who returns to the limelight after a nervous breakdown forced her to cancel her last tour, becoming involved with self-help guru Tedros (The Weeknd) and his cult.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 4 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for nervous breakdown 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Shannon Carlin, TIME, 31 Jan. 2025
The film has a few major plot holes, mostly concerning the present-tense family meal where Lucas seems to be having a nervous breakdown.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 27 Jan. 2025
Paterson beautifully depicts a man who’s quietly, and sometimes not so quietly, experiencing a nervous breakdown as the world around him grows stranger and more absurd.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2024
In the 2023 series, which was canceled after one season, Depp played pop star Jocelyn, who returns to the limelight after a nervous breakdown forced her to cancel her last tour, becoming involved with self-help guru Tedros (The Weeknd) and his cult.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 4 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for nervous breakdown
Dictionary Entries Near nervous breakdown
Cite this Entry
“Nervous breakdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nervous%20breakdown. Accessed 13 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share