meltdown

1 of 2

noun

melt·​down ˈmelt-ˌdau̇n How to pronounce meltdown (audio)
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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The cancellations left travelers stranded, most notably during the summer of 2022 and the holiday meltdown that same year. AFAR Media, 5 Sep. 2025 The film looks at the key role of political cartoons in global democracies, the decline of the profession amid a newspaper industry meltdown and the effects of extreme political partisanship on media and editorial cartooning. Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
Some teams look fantastic before melting down within a few weeks (2024 New Orleans Saints) and others can get off to a rough start before blossoming within the first two months (2024 Washington Commanders). Mike Kaye september 10, Charlotte Observer, 10 Sep. 2025 Mickey Gasper drove in a career-high three runs, and Matt Wallner hit his 21st home run of the season, but Minnesota’s bullpen melted down in the seventh inning and the White Sox rallied to sweep a four-game series with a 11-8 victory Thursday at nearly empty Target Field. John Shipley, Twin Cities, 5 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for meltdown

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1956, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1956, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of meltdown was in 1956

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Meltdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meltdown. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

meltdown

noun
melt·​down ˈmelt-ˌdau̇n How to pronounce meltdown (audio)
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)

More from Merriam-Webster on meltdown

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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