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
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.
Recent Examples of break down
Rajiv J. Shah, Baltimore Sun, 21 Apr. 2026
Ackerman, who played basketball at Virginia before she was hired by the NBA in 1988, broke down barriers for women in sports by simply showing up and doing a good job, without necessarily recognizing the barriers, until those barriers eventually vanished.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2026
Shannon Watkins, Twin Cities, 23 Apr. 2026
There's no sign of a momentum breakdown here.
—Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break down
Verb
The state, like Pastor Billy’s organization, has emerged as a laboratory for innovative ideas for harnessing technology to help break down barriers holding people back.
—Rajiv J. Shah, Baltimore Sun, 21 Apr. 2026
Ackerman, who played basketball at Virginia before she was hired by the NBA in 1988, broke down barriers for women in sports by simply showing up and doing a good job, without necessarily recognizing the barriers, until those barriers eventually vanished.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2026
Noun
Fear of engaging with ideological opponents and the resulting breakdown of communication are surely fueling polarization in our country.
—Shannon Watkins, Twin Cities, 23 Apr. 2026
There's no sign of a momentum breakdown here.
—Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break down
Verb
-
He was charged with battery and burglary of an unoccupied dwelling in September 2023, and with battery that May — both classified in court records as misdemeanors.—
Claudia Lauer,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The species is classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, a classification that reflects both the remaining threats facing the animals and the significant progress conservation efforts have made.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The body was decomposed and dismembered.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Her arms and legs had been cut off, and her body was significantly decomposed, according to the report.—
Steven J. Horowitz,
Variety,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This article was generated by the Bay Area Home Report Bot, software that analyzes home sales or other data and creates an article based on a template created by humans.—
Bay Area Home Report,
Mercury News,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Celonis analyzed the 5,000 delivery runs a day the brewery was executing, worked out how to make the runs more efficient, and reduced the number of journeys by 17%.—
Kamal Ahmed,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In 2019, Elisa Serna died at the Las Colinas women’s jail after a doctor and nurse left her alone after watching her collapse.—
Kelly Davis,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
That’s the year the Boston Marathon suffered a terrorist attack in which three people died and hundreds more were injured.—
Cressida Leyshon,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But as the ball swung around the perimeter, opportunities arose for the likes of Dosunmu and McDaniels to crack the paint off the bounce.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The physicality ramped up early in the second period when the B’s fourth line flexed their muscle and cracked Lyon.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The data was taken down after about eight hours, and then reappeared again twice in early April, the report said.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Because other artists have been taken down for similar things.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Word of Smith’s death had shattered his family, especially his father, who can’t believe his son is gone.—
Rocco Parascandola,
New York Daily News,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The incredible true story of Takeru Kobayashi — or how a skinny 22-year-old from Japan shattered world records at the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest and catapulted the fringe spectacle of competitive eating into a wildly lucrative American sports phenomenon.—
Hilary Lewis,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
When their news anchor (Peter Finch) has a nervous breakdown on the air, suddenly their ratings turn around, bringing on a moral morass only some of them are prepared to face.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Break down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20down. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
