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

3

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

melt down

2 of 2

verb

melted down; melting down; melts down

intransitive verb

: to suffer a meltdown : collapse

Synonyms

Verb

• break down
• break up
• crack
• flip (out) [slang]
• freak (out)
• wig (out) [slang]

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

The tasty shakes come in four flavors—vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and fruity cereal—and have prevented many a backseat meltdown. —Laura Lu, Parents, 5 Apr. 2024

DiCaprio’s character, the actor Rick Darlton, has an over-the-top meltdown over forgetting his lines and trashes his trailer in a fit of rage. —Zack Sharf, Variety, 5 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1956, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1956, in the meaning defined above

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)