as in losing it
to yield to mental or emotional stress
rather than melt down, the team strengthened their resolve and ended up winning the game
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Recent Examples of melting down
Sidestep a financial wrangle if someone is melting down.
—
Tribune Content Agency, Baltimore Sun, 5 Jan. 2026
Explosions near the site had already damaged a high-voltage power line; Ukraine feared the failure of cooling systems that prevent nuclear fuel from melting down.
—Robin Wright, New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2025
The first of the films is Blue Moon, a sweet-and-sour portrait of the lyricist Lorenz Hart (played by Ethan Hawke) melting down at a bar near the tail end of his Broadway career.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 4 Nov. 2025
If those systems fail—or simply run out of diesel—the plant would have no way to stop the nuclear fuel inside those reactors from overheating and potentially melting down.
—Simon Shuster, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
Grok itself debunks the statement regarding Kirk; Musk’s AI tool cannot find evidence of Steele melting down over people mourning the assassination.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2025
The secret is melting down pink Himalayan salt to combine it with maple syrup.
—Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Sep. 2025
Some teams look fantastic before melting down within a few weeks (2024 New Orleans Saints) and others can get off to a rough start before blossoming within the first two months (2024 Washington Commanders).
—Mike Kaye
september 10, Charlotte Observer, 10 Sep. 2025
Naturally, Swiftopia is melting down over the possibility over what this could mean.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 11 Aug. 2025
Tribune Content Agency, Baltimore Sun, 5 Jan. 2026
Explosions near the site had already damaged a high-voltage power line; Ukraine feared the failure of cooling systems that prevent nuclear fuel from melting down.
—Robin Wright, New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2025
The first of the films is Blue Moon, a sweet-and-sour portrait of the lyricist Lorenz Hart (played by Ethan Hawke) melting down at a bar near the tail end of his Broadway career.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 4 Nov. 2025
If those systems fail—or simply run out of diesel—the plant would have no way to stop the nuclear fuel inside those reactors from overheating and potentially melting down.
—Simon Shuster, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
Grok itself debunks the statement regarding Kirk; Musk’s AI tool cannot find evidence of Steele melting down over people mourning the assassination.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2025
The secret is melting down pink Himalayan salt to combine it with maple syrup.
—Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Sep. 2025
Some teams look fantastic before melting down within a few weeks (2024 New Orleans Saints) and others can get off to a rough start before blossoming within the first two months (2024 Washington Commanders).
—Mike Kaye
september 10, Charlotte Observer, 10 Sep. 2025
Naturally, Swiftopia is melting down over the possibility over what this could mean.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 11 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for melting down
Verb
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At the end of a long day, taking inventory of the fridge, cracking a cookbook open, or running out to the grocery store in order to figure out a dinner plan can seem overwhelming.—
Elizabeth Brownfield,
Southern Living,
14 Feb. 2026
-
This early moment in mid-February belongs to Benge, the 23-year-old hotshot prospect who has a chance at cracking the Mets’ roster.—
Will Sammon,
New York Times,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The characteristics and size of the small starch clumps could constitute a choking hazard, said Mondelez Global, which owns the brand, particularly in young children and the elderly.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
6 Feb. 2026
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Check your cookie stash for Chips Ahoy products that could contain a choking hazard.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Oil shortages and obsolete power stations constantly breaking down have made daily hours-long blackouts the new normal.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
21 Jan. 2026
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Others are also said to be on the verge of breaking down.—
Jermont Terry,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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He’s best known for breaking up that colossus, which is spurring speculation that PayPal’s board intends to sell off segments of the firm’s business.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
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After breaking up with Berlingeri, Bad Bunny began dating Jenner, which was his most headline-grabbing relationship yet.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Glamour,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Melting down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/melting%20down. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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