1
as in classified
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 decomposed
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 analyzed
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 died
to stop functioning
the computer finally broke down and had to be replaced
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in melted down
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 knocked down
to take apart
the crew was breaking down the party tent when we arrived
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in shattered
to cause to break with violence and much noise
firefighters had to break down the wall to rescue the kitten
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of broke down
After the final whistle, Vozinha broke down in tears on the pitch.
—
Olivia Shalhoup,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2026
Machado laid off a slider that broke down and out of the zone to get to 2-0 against right-hander Joe Ross and then hit a sinker in the heart of the zone on a line at 108 mph to left-center field, where it was caught by a man in a Padres jersey some 408 feet from home plate.
—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 June 2026
O'Brien broke down that the larger fleet will allow the two to use their aircrafts more efficiently, highlighting that Allegiant's recent purchase of a Boeing 737 will allow Sun Country to utilize Allegiant's aircraft for its flights, creating a larger network.
—
Assiatou Hann,
CNBC,
20 June 2026
The 44-year-old former champion started from the pitlane following an engine change after bottoming out in qualifying and then broke down in the race.
—
ABC News,
14 June 2026
The two traveled to Chippewa County, Michigan, and hitchhiked to Kincheloe once the car broke down, officials said.
—
Nick Lentz,
CBS News,
14 June 2026
Anthony broke down in tears as the verdict was read and was immediately taken into custody.
—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
13 June 2026
Brunson, stoic throughout the entire championship run, broke down in tears as his father Rick, who’s a Knicks assistant coach, celebrated on the sidelines.
—
Tom Tapp,
Deadline,
13 June 2026
Marc Guehi’s move to Liverpool on last year’s summer deadline day broke down at the 11th hour as Crystal Palace failed to bring in a replacement — and Guehi later joined Manchester City in January.
—
Leon Imber,
New York Times,
13 June 2026
Olivia Shalhoup,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2026
Machado laid off a slider that broke down and out of the zone to get to 2-0 against right-hander Joe Ross and then hit a sinker in the heart of the zone on a line at 108 mph to left-center field, where it was caught by a man in a Padres jersey some 408 feet from home plate.
—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 June 2026
O'Brien broke down that the larger fleet will allow the two to use their aircrafts more efficiently, highlighting that Allegiant's recent purchase of a Boeing 737 will allow Sun Country to utilize Allegiant's aircraft for its flights, creating a larger network.
—
Assiatou Hann,
CNBC,
20 June 2026
The 44-year-old former champion started from the pitlane following an engine change after bottoming out in qualifying and then broke down in the race.
—
ABC News,
14 June 2026
The two traveled to Chippewa County, Michigan, and hitchhiked to Kincheloe once the car broke down, officials said.
—
Nick Lentz,
CBS News,
14 June 2026
Anthony broke down in tears as the verdict was read and was immediately taken into custody.
—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
13 June 2026
Brunson, stoic throughout the entire championship run, broke down in tears as his father Rick, who’s a Knicks assistant coach, celebrated on the sidelines.
—
Tom Tapp,
Deadline,
13 June 2026
Marc Guehi’s move to Liverpool on last year’s summer deadline day broke down at the 11th hour as Crystal Palace failed to bring in a replacement — and Guehi later joined Manchester City in January.
—
Leon Imber,
New York Times,
13 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for broke down
Verb
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Even in Caracas, where only five buildings collapsed, Rodríguez said at least 30 additional structures have already been classified as unsafe.
-
Royalties and license fees are classified as ordinary income under the tax code, taxed at the same rates as wages, not the preferential long-term capital gains rates that apply to appreciated assets held over a year.
Verb
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Remains of dogs too decomposed to be recovered were also found in the same field, the sheriff's office said.
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Every project should be decomposed into tasks, with explicit categorization of which are human, AI or hybrid.
Verb
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Underground, buried fiber-optic cables can sense movement, capturing data that are also then analyzed by AI.
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Shell has consistently been a close second to Chevron for high prices and fat margins, followed by the other large oil company brands, according to data collected and analyzed by the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA).
Verb
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When Khomeini died in 1989, Khamenei became his successor within a matter of weeks.
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At least 31 children died in hot cars in 2025, according to the National Safety Council and nine have died this year.
Verb
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Most of the statue was melted down and reformed into musket balls, and several of these are on display in the opening section of the show across from four large intact pieces of the original.
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The Liberty Bell had survived the war—so far—without being melted down into musket balls by the British.
Verb
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Carr knocked down a three on an offensive rebound for the Lakers’ first summer league points.
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Many injuries were reported in Wisconsin’s Walworth County after the storm toppled trees, knocked down power lines and damaged buildings, said Tom Hausner, undersheriff for the Walworth County Sheriff’s department.
Verb
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His companies have transformed industries, his wealth has shattered records, and his politics now shape governments and public debate.
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Republican Rick Jackson shattered spending records in Georgia by spending $108 million of his own money into his campaign for governor.
Verb
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MoneyLion ranked the nation's 50 most affluent suburbs by household income, as measured in the 2024 American Community Survey.
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Sherman’s March, which won the Grand Jury prize at the 1986 Sundance Film Festival, was ranked as one of the highest-grossing documentary films of all time until the mid-1990s.
Cite this Entry
“Broke down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/broke%20down. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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