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
Christopher Bergland, Verywell Health, 7 Oct. 2025
The ManningCast allows the brothers to break down plays, discuss what’s happening around the NFL and talk with special guests.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 6 Oct. 2025
David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 7 Oct. 2025
The breakdown of security in the Sahel region and the civil war in Sudan, for example, can’t allow economic productivity to thrive.
—Kingsley Moghalu, semafor.com, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for break down
Verb
If your body doesn't make enough lactase, the enzyme that breaks down milk sugar, lactose travels to the colon, where bacterial fermentation occurs.
—Christopher Bergland, Verywell Health, 7 Oct. 2025
The ManningCast allows the brothers to break down plays, discuss what’s happening around the NFL and talk with special guests.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 6 Oct. 2025
Noun
The Cornyn campaign did not provide a breakdown of how much was raised by each account, but most of his fundraising came from joint committees in the filing from three months ago.
—David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 7 Oct. 2025
The breakdown of security in the Sahel region and the civil war in Sudan, for example, can’t allow economic productivity to thrive.
—Kingsley Moghalu, semafor.com, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for break down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break down
Verb
-
The cause was classified as norovirus, a contagious virus that causes nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, and is commonly known as the stomach flu.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Both the Cook Political Report and Sabato's Crystal Ball classify the race as a likely victory for Spanberger.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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These clippings decompose rapidly, enhancing soil quality and providing nutrients for your turf grass.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 Oct. 2025
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Water molecules in the electrolyte tend to decompose, and zinc deposits unevenly, forming dendrites that can cause short circuits.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The study analyzed blood samples from 47 patients with severe ME/CFS and 61 healthy controls, revealing a unique pattern consistently present in patients with the condition.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Behaviours are measured through 360-degree reviews and employee surveys, where data can be broken down by function to analyze the individual impact of leaders.—
Jessica Coacci,
Fortune,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
About 20 living hostages remain captive in desperate conditions, Israeli officials say, and about 25 more are believed to have died, but their bodies have not been returned to their families.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
5 Oct. 2025
-
Craig Hayden, a 77-year-old church member, died trying to help another member of the church, according to a GoFundMe his daughter-in-law posted.—
Georgea Kovanis,
Freep.com,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Kiper said Beck is among four other quarterbacks who could crack his top five, depending on how the season plays out.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Not a single player that will likely crack the Leafs lineup.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The unrest comes in the wake of Gen Z’s extraordinary and unprecedented take down of the Nepali government in September.—
Kara Fox,
CNN Money,
4 Oct. 2025
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Through June of 2025, over 1,800 videos had been taken down, a MTA news release said.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Each episode explores how Taylor shattered Hollywood’s glass ceiling, built a billion-dollar business empire, and transformed celebrity activism through her pioneering work in the fight against HIV/AIDS.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
3 Oct. 2025
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Jeff sustained a gunshot wound that shattered his ankle, receiving two surgeries to remove the bullet and leather from his foot.—
Natalie Davies,
Freep.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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But, of course, the producers didn't want Caroline to have a nervous breakdown.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Sep. 2025
-
That character is Mike Tyler (Chris Evans), a Hollywood star recovering from a recent nervous breakdown and attending a garish eco-friendly charity party for the super-super-rich that’s being held in a fantastically austere Greek mine.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
13 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Break down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20down. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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