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
Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2025
Mushrooms and fungi flourish in the shaded understory, breaking down organic material and recycling nutrients back into the soil.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 23 Jan. 2025
These include the breakdown of social norms and ties, radicalization and polarization, conflict, financial destabilization and displacement of people.
—Andy Extance, Scientific American, 23 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for break down 
Verb
Saleh helped forge the 2019 49ers into a top-level defense with 48 sacks until things broke down in Super Bowl LIV in Miami, and catastrophic injuries (including Bosa and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo) did little to inhibit his candidacy as a head coach when the New York Jets came calling in 2020.
—Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2025
Mushrooms and fungi flourish in the shaded understory, breaking down organic material and recycling nutrients back into the soil.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
Noun
Looking at regional breakdowns, these statistics hold mostly true, with some northeastern states being the exception.
—Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 23 Jan. 2025
These include the breakdown of social norms and ties, radicalization and polarization, conflict, financial destabilization and displacement of people.
—Andy Extance, Scientific American, 23 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for break down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break down
Verb
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Calculated by dividing a person's weight by their height, the result then classifies individuals into categories: underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
19 Jan. 2025
-
Loot boxes are banned in many EU countries, such as the Netherlands and Belgium, as they are classified as a form of gambling, while countries like Spain and the UK are considering stricter regulations.—
Will McCurdy,
PCMAG,
18 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Several days later, the WinCo manager noticed a foul smell and called repairmen, who started removing bricks from a column outside the store and discovered a decomposing body.—
Keri Blakinger,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Jan. 2025
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The Shrouds David Cronenberg’s body horror flick stars Vincent Cassel as Karsh, a businessman overwhelmed with grief at the death of his wife who builds a device — a high-tech shroud — to watch her body decompose in real-time.—
Etan Vlessing,
The Hollywood Reporter,
8 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The researchers aimed to analyze the physiological effects of carbonated water, as it has been found to induce satiety (feelings of fullness) and gastric motility (movement of food through the body), both of which could reduce hunger.—
Angelica Stabile,
Fox News,
27 Jan. 2025
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The memorandum by Trump directs the Interior secretary to analyze the legal pathways.—
Alan Wooten | The Center Square,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
26 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Jeffrey Takeyama Jeffrey Takeyama, 69, died in the Palisades Fire.—
Minyvonne Burke,
NBC News,
17 Jan. 2025
-
Two other kids, Steven and Leeann, died in 2012 of lung disease and in 2022 of ALS, respectively.—
Chris Koseluk,
The Hollywood Reporter,
16 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Art didn’t crack the top 1,000 most popular names in the U.S. in 2023, but Arthur (No. 128, boys), Arturo (No. 621, boys) and Artemis (No. 856, girls) did, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA).—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
20 Jan. 2025
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No Sox players cracked the starting pitching, relief pitching, or catching lists, but the most glaring oversight is undoubtedly in center field, where Jarren Duran was conspicuously absent.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
18 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Eagle’s library board has voted to take down the library’s community bulletin board, a move that followed a controversy at the nearby Nampa Public Library surrounding a poster advertising a LGBTQ+ youth group.—
Rose Evans,
Idaho Statesman,
17 Jan. 2025
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Baldoni’s previous filings have mentioned Reynolds, but now he is officially named as a defendant, accused of assisting his wife in taking over the film and taking down Baldoni’s career.—
Elizabeth Wagmeister,
CNN,
16 Jan. 2025
Verb
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For the most social of butterflies, this fall’s Italy, France, and Ibiza cruise is set to shatter records for the largest gay cruise to set sail across Europe, uniting more than 4,000 passengers on the massive Odyssey of the Seas.—
Jared Ranahan,
Travel + Leisure,
22 Jan. 2025
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Some areas in the Panhandle recorded over half a foot of snow, shattering long-standing snow records, CBS Miami reported.—
Kiki Intarasuwan,
CBS News,
22 Jan. 2025
Noun
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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
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Paterson beautifully depicts a man who’s quietly, and sometimes not so quietly, experiencing a nervous breakdown as the world around him grows stranger and more absurd.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
5 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near break down
Cite this Entry
“Break down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20down. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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