meltdown

1 of 2

noun

melt·​down ˈmelt-ˌdau̇n 

1

: the accidental melting of the core of a nuclear reactor

2

: a rapid or disastrous decline or collapse

warning of a stock market meltdown

3

: a breakdown of self-control (as from fatigue or overstimulation)

an exhausted toddler having a meltdown

melt down

2 of 2

verb

melted down; melting down; melts down

intransitive verb

1

of a nuclear reactor : to undergo an accidental melting of the core

2

: to experience a very fast collapse or failure

The stock market melted down today.

transitive verb

: to melt (something) so that it can be used for another purpose

melting down gold coins

Synonyms of meltdown

Verb

• crack
• fall apart
• lose it
• choke
• flip (out)
• go to pieces
• break down
• wig (out)
• freak (out)
• break up

Examples of meltdown in a Sentence

Noun

fears that an accident could cause meltdown

a company experiencing financial meltdown

After a long day at the beach, our toddler had a major meltdown in the car on the way home.

Verb

rather than melt down, the team strengthened their resolve and ended up winning the game

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Danny Coulombe and Greg Weissert combined to allow five runs in a colossal sixth-inning meltdown, turning what had been a tight game into a blowout that the Braves went on to win 10-2. —Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 28 May 2026

For most of her career, Gauff has rarely displayed anything close to a meltdown, rarely appeared to wrestle with the emotional demons that so often undo tennis players. —Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 26 May 2026

Verb

OpenAI’s version has already melted down once and is structurally contested heading into an IPO. —Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 1 June 2026

What beef tallow is and how it’s made Beef tallow is a white, shelf-stable cooking fat made by rendering — or melting down — the fatty tissue that surrounds a cow’s organs, according to Michelle Crouch at AARP. —Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 19 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1956, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1620, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for meltdown

• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown
• godown
• hometown

Kids Definition

meltdown

noun

melt·​down ˈmelt-ˌdau̇n 

1

: the accidental melting of the core of a nuclear reactor

2

: a rapid or disastrous decline or collapse

a financial meltdown

3

: a breakdown of self-control (as from fatigue or overstimulation)