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
Dj Simmons, Charlotte Observer, 17 June 2026
The Daily Money breaks down complex consumer and financial news.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 17 June 2026
Caitlin Beale, Health, 18 June 2026
Here's a quick breakdown from the National Weather Service on what each color means.
—John Tufts, IndyStar, 18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for break down
Verb
But despite efforts from the agency, trust between residents and NCDOT had already broken down over the last several months.
—Dj Simmons, Charlotte Observer, 17 June 2026
The Daily Money breaks down complex consumer and financial news.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 17 June 2026
Noun
In the digestive tract, this gel slows carbohydrate breakdown and slows how long food moves through the digestive tract.
—Caitlin Beale, Health, 18 June 2026
Here's a quick breakdown from the National Weather Service on what each color means.
—John Tufts, IndyStar, 18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for break down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break down
Verb
-
Yet more than half of its counties are classified as maternity care deserts — areas with no hospital or birth center offering obstetric services and no obstetric clinicians, as defined by the March of Dimes.—
Jocelyn Mitchell-Williams,
STAT,
19 June 2026
-
Despite affecting nearly 100,000 Americans, SCD is classified as an orphan disease, defined as a condition that strikes fewer than 200,000 people.—
Audrey Boone Tillman,
Fortune,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
How long does cardboard take to decompose in the garden?—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 June 2026
-
This sets them apart from other natural mulches like straw and wood chips, which have a high carbon content and take a year or more to decompose fully.—
Nadia Hassani,
The Spruce,
11 June 2026
Verb
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In the study, which analyzed data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health collected between 2021 and 2024, researchers say that despite numerous state-level bans on kratom across the nation, its use is at an all-time high and is increasing.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
-
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
Last year, around 13,000 of a population of 17,000 elephant seal pups died there in just a few months after being exposed.—
Brie Stimson,
FOXNews.com,
21 June 2026
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Daveigh, best known for playing Samara Morgan in The Ring and voicing Lilo in Lilo & Stitch, died at 35, PEOPLE confirmed on Wednesday, June 17.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
21 June 2026
Verb
-
The former cracked the top 10 on Spain's radio airplay chart.—
Ralphie Aversa,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
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And not one property owner has participated in a pilot program requiring landlords to give current tenants first crack at purchasing multifamily buildings.—
David Greising,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
Meth and Esrailian beat Peninsula and took down University in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 finals.—
gqlshare,
Daily News,
17 June 2026
-
The tennis star later apologized in the comments of a censored Instagram post on the HSBC Championships account — which appears to have since been taken down.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
PEOPLE,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
Kate Ziegler breaks swimming’s oldest world record, shattering the 1,500-meter freestyle mark by 9 1/2 seconds at the TYR Meet of Champions Mission Viejo.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
17 June 2026
-
When a shocking night shatters their fragile facade, both women are forced to confront the cost of control and decide what kind of future is worth fighting for.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
17 June 2026
Noun
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Decades later, some of the biggest criticisms of Communion are arguably among its most charming virtues, from Walken's idiosyncratic performance as a man on the verge of a nervous breakdown to the cheesy special effects.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 June 2026
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This happened years before, in such a serious way that my friend had to take a three-month medical leave of absence due to what was likely a nervous breakdown.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Break down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20down. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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