nervous breakdown

nervous breakdown

noun

Definition of NERVOUS BREAKDOWN

: an attack of mental or emotional disorder especially when of sufficient severity to require hospitalization

Examples of NERVOUS BREAKDOWN

1. She had a nervous breakdown shortly after her sister's death.
2. He is on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

First Known Use of NERVOUS BREAKDOWN

1905

Related to NERVOUS BREAKDOWN

Synonyms: crack-up, breakdown, tailspin

Related Words: frazzle, freak-out, meltdown; alarm (also alarum), anxiety, apprehension, disquiet; excitability, nervousness; disturbance; agitation, discomposure, perturbation; basket case

Near Antonyms: aplomb, calmness, composure, coolness, imperturbability, placidity, self-possession, sereneness, serenity, tranquillity (or tranquility), tranquilness

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Rhymes with NERVOUS BREAKDOWN

company town, Geneva gown, keep one's head down, let one's hair down, man-about-town, put one's foot down, with one's pants down