1
as in to classify
to arrange or assign according to type
when presented with the pile of files, the first thing he did was to break them down by month, order within the month, and region
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to decompose
to go through decomposition
the enamel of a human tooth will begin to break down when exposed to sugar for too long
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to analyze
to identify and examine the basic elements or parts of (something) especially for discovering interrelationships
if we break the problem down into what appear to be three aspects of it, we'll have a better chance of solving it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to die
to stop functioning
the computer finally broke down and had to be replaced
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to crack
to yield to mental or emotional stress
began to break down when he realized that he was on the verge of bankruptcy
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in to take down
to take apart
the crew was breaking down the party tent when we arrived
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in to shatter
to cause to break with violence and much noise
firefighters had to break down the wall to rescue the kitten
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in nervous breakdown
a mental or nervous collapse
if you don't ease your workload, you're going to have a breakdown
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in decomposition
the process by which dead organic matter separates into simpler substances
the breakdown of the body was arrested by the embalming process
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in analysis
the separation and identification of the parts of a whole
the boss wanted a detailed breakdown of the sales figures
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of break down
Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 2 Mar. 2025
However, all appliances start to break down over time.
—Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Mar. 2025
Morgan Fargo, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2025
Downplaying concerns and avoiding difficult situations can cause a breakdown in trust and a sense of not being valued.
—Jake Webster, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for break down
Verb
The ceasefire is the first sign of a breakthrough since peace talks between the PKK and Ankara broke down in the summer of 2015.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 2 Mar. 2025
However, all appliances start to break down over time.
—Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Mar. 2025
Noun
Rumors are circulating that Brown could be set to play Britney Spears—who suffered a breakdown in the harsh glare of the tabloid spotlight in the noughties—in a forthcoming biopic.
—Morgan Fargo, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2025
Downplaying concerns and avoiding difficult situations can cause a breakdown in trust and a sense of not being valued.
—Jake Webster, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for break down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break down
Verb
-
Despite the depth and breadth of his transactions, Sweeney did not classify his work as a teardown.—
Fluto Shinzawa,
The Athletic,
8 Mar. 2025
-
Using data from nearly 10,000 herbarium specimens, scientists at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History have brought attention to the conservation status of these plants, revealing that 87 species—almost half of the genus—are now classified as threatened with extinction.—
Ella Jeffries,
Smithsonian Magazine,
7 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Officers responding to reports of a dead woman discovered a decomposing body inside a shed at an apartment complex, Utah police and news outlets reported.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacramento Bee,
24 Feb. 2025
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Vultures not only consume dead animals that might otherwise remain out in the elements to decompose, according to the Wildlife Center of Virginia.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA TODAY,
21 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The Toronto Maple Leafs have done some due diligence on Schenn, checking in with those who watch the Blues play regularly, and The Athletic also analyzed the trade fit.—
Jeremy Rutherford,
The Athletic,
5 Mar. 2025
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There’s also intense focus on her return to Instagram, where her 2 million followers get to analyze her outfits and tastes in home decor, as fans tend to do with their favorite influencers.—
Martha Ross,
The Mercury News,
4 Mar. 2025
Verb
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One man testified that his teenage daughter, who had epilepsy, died while taking a bath and that his grief was compounded by knowing investigators possessed photographs taken in her death investigation.—
Audrey Dutton,
ProPublica,
5 Mar. 2025
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Construction began in 1869 and was still under way when the king died in 1886.—
Ann Abel,
Forbes,
5 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The fact that Tran’s new-to-South-Beach Agent Lee is set on the path of cracking the case by asking her colleagues if there are any good Chinese restaurants in the city could cause some to roll their eyes for various reasons.—
Stephen Saito,
Variety,
9 Mar. 2025
-
Racial prejudice presented the Chicago Woman’s Club with a tougher nut to crack.—
Ron Grossman,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Guinea fowl, small birds that can take down predators while working in groups, become an apt metaphor for the way the women bond together, as well as a haunting visual motif.—
Esther Zuckerman,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2025
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The Cardinals were not expected to make a deep run and took down No. 1 San Antonio Brennan in the state semifinals.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Mar. 2025
Verb
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As the two vehicles collided, there was a loud boom; their windshields shattered, and the scene was engulfed in smoke.—
Stephania Taladrid,
The New Yorker,
27 Feb. 2025
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Recent events have shattered her image as a role model—a persona that has long been disputed by some of her co-stars.—
Louis Staples,
Rolling Stone,
26 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Another great performance in a go-for-broke horror flick about a woman well over the verge of a nervous breakdown.—
Amy Nicholson,
Twin Cities,
1 Mar. 2025
-
Following the breakup, Claudel suffered a nervous breakdown and was committed for psychiatric treatment.—
Tessa Solomon for ARTnews,
Robb Report,
19 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Break down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20down. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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