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
Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
Our Andrew Greif breaks down all the results below.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 1 Apr. 2026
Grace McCarty, Glamour, 2 Apr. 2026
Bone health over a lifetime To protect bone strength, people need to support rebuilding and reduce the factors that speed up bone breakdown in the first place.
—Hadia Zainab, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break down
Verb
Farrell kept driving until his car broke down on the Southern Beltway, investigators said.
—Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
Our Andrew Greif breaks down all the results below.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 1 Apr. 2026
Noun
For a full breakdown, check out our guide to at-home cat-eye manicures here.
—Grace McCarty, Glamour, 2 Apr. 2026
Bone health over a lifetime To protect bone strength, people need to support rebuilding and reduce the factors that speed up bone breakdown in the first place.
—Hadia Zainab, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break down
Verb
-
The fire is classified as accidental.—
Pioneer Press,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
-
By classifying sports betting as a public health issue and imposing rigid federal standards, the proposal also significantly limits the autonomy of the states, which have been primarily responsible for the legalization and regulation of this sector since 2018.—
Cláudia Nunes,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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After entering the home, officers found the decomposing body of an 81-year-old woman.—
Todd Feurer,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Over time, the soil improved by decomposing lawn clippings is more absorbent and well-drained.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Griffis analyzed 34 removal cases assigned to him.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
-
There are more than 1,000 robust clemency applications pending in her office that have been vetted and analyzed by members of the governor’s clemency staff.—
Steve Zeidman,
New York Daily News,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Investigators would spend weeks building their case, combing through nearly 7,000 texts exchanged over the three months before Harold died.—
Peter Van Sant,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Cormorants that tried to clean each other with their beaks died after ingesting the viscous muck.—
Jeffrey Marlow,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Press slices of sandwich bread into muffin tins and crack a whole egg into each.—
Victoria Spencer,
Martha Stewart,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The numbers were burners, created only a day before the robbery, but logs of text messages and phone calls cracked open other leads and helped signal to police that the cases were related, according to documents reviewed by the Chronicle.—
Megan Cassidy,
San Francisco Chronicle,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The White House did not return requests for comment from The Associated Press on the video and why it was taken down.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The beautiful game was on full display Tuesday night as Brazil took down Croatia 3-1 in a Road to 26 friendly at Camping World Stadium.—
Kyle Foley,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But customers should not expect earth-shattering menu changes.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
2 Apr. 2026
-
World Cup That dream come true feeling Some dreams were shattered last night, other dreams were made.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
When their news anchor (Peter Finch) has a nervous breakdown on the air, suddenly their ratings turn around, bringing on a moral morass only some of them are prepared to face.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Mostly because Kiesling’s voice is delightful, and this chronicle of Daphne—a young mother-intellectual on the verge of a nervous breakdown—is open-hearted and unsparing about the work that goes into balancing infant care with day job.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Break down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20down. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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