nervous breakdown

noun

Definition of nervous breakdownnext
as in breakdown
a mental or nervous collapse you're going to have a nervous breakdown if you keep up that pace

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of nervous breakdown Some people in Caracas and surrounding areas suffered nervous breakdowns following the events of Wednesday afternoon, compounded by warnings that their homes might collapse. — Gustavo Ocando Alex, Miami Herald, 25 June 2026 By the end of that first season, Padilla had carved out a lane playing a variety of women not just on the verge of a nervous breakdown but full-body catapulting themselves over the edge of Nervous Breakdown Cliff. — Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 2 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 After suffering a nervous breakdown and being taken care of by Marlon Brando’s daughter Cheyenne in Tahiti, Jones eventually returned to his life as a mogul of music, television and magazines. — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 3 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for nervous breakdown
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nervous breakdown
breakdown
Noun
  • Janet, meanwhile, is having the kind of emotional breakdown that necessitates producer intervention.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 2 July 2026
  • To help identify which aspects to comment on, Ginexi provides a helpful breakdown of the different sections of the OMB’s proposal.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 2 July 2026
Definition of breakdown

Browse Nearby Words

nervous
nervous breakdown
nervous breakdowns
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Cite this Entry

“Nervous breakdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nervous%20breakdown. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on nervous breakdown

Nglish: Translation of nervous breakdown for Spanish Speakers

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