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
Mark Landler, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2025
With Variety, Rogal breaks down his emotional interview with Durant, getting kicked out of Serbia’s locker room and needing a boost to interview the seven-foot-three Wembanyama.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 18 Feb. 2025
Spin Staff, SPIN, 15 Feb. 2025
But even before an official determination is made, a growing body of clues suggest the midair collision was the result of a cascading series of breakdowns long in the making, including by air traffic control, whose mandate is to guide aircraft safely on the ground and through the skies.
—Emily Steel, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for break down
Verb
At the Munich Security Conference this past weekend, the anxiety boiled over when Christoph Heusgen, who chairs the gathering, broke down in tears during his closing speech.
—Mark Landler, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2025
With Variety, Rogal breaks down his emotional interview with Durant, getting kicked out of Serbia’s locker room and needing a boost to interview the seven-foot-three Wembanyama.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 18 Feb. 2025
Noun
During the song’s mellow breakdown, Vedder saluted deceased cast members such as Gilda Radner, Phil Hartman, Chris Farley, Norm MacDonald and John Belushi.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 15 Feb. 2025
But even before an official determination is made, a growing body of clues suggest the midair collision was the result of a cascading series of breakdowns long in the making, including by air traffic control, whose mandate is to guide aircraft safely on the ground and through the skies.
—Emily Steel, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for break down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break down
Verb
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Previous assessments already painted a grim picture, with a third of sharks, rays, and chimaeras classified as threatened with extinction.—
Melissa Cristina Márquez,
Forbes,
24 Feb. 2025
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Additionally, Florida case law and judicial precedents in divorce cases classify embryos as assets, subject to legal distribution.—
Andrew Rader,
Sun Sentinel,
23 Feb. 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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Source: The National Weather Service This article was generated by the North Carolina Bot, software that analyzes structured information, such as data, and applies it to articles based on templates created by journalists in the newsroom.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
20 Feb. 2025
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Financial professionals need to analyze and carry out in-depth valuations as well as produce strong projections and financial forecasts.—
Richard Okon,
Forbes,
20 Feb. 2025
Verb
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One person died and another was injured when their helicopter crashed Thursday onto a frozen reservoir in southeast Idaho, authorities said.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Feb. 2025
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But suicide is a major public health crisis — according to the CDC, 49,000 people died by suicide in 2022, which is about one death every 11 minutes — and antidepressants can be lifesaving.—
Alyssa Goldberg,
USA TODAY,
21 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The 26-year-old winger is on pace to crack 90 points, and the pop in his production can be explained by a few factors.—
Harman Dayal,
The Athletic,
25 Feb. 2025
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If not, there will be another opportunity to crack a new puzzle on Tuesday.—
Mark Joseph,
Newsweek,
24 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Data Disappears As a result of Trump’s order on gender identity, health researchers say, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention took down online information about transgender health and removed data on LGBTQ+ health.—
Stephanie Armour,
CNN,
21 Feb. 2025
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For instance, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention took down data from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, which includes questions asking whether teens identify as transgender.—
Geoffrey Skelley,
ABC News,
20 Feb. 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
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In 2019, essayist Sarah Chihaya had a nervous breakdown that coincided with a bout of the titular anxiety disorder, which causes someone to have an intense and irrational fear of books and writing.—
Shannon Carlin,
TIME,
31 Jan. 2025
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The film has a few major plot holes, mostly concerning the present-tense family meal where Lucas seems to be having a nervous breakdown.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
27 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Break down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20down. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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