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
Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 18 Aug. 2025
When communication breaks down, alignment suffers and engagement drops.
—Aaron Edgell, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2025
Josh Slater-Williams, IndieWire, 15 Aug. 2025
Here's a breakdown: Household mean income 2023: $161,798 Average home value June 2025: $565,612
One-year home value change (%): 4.59%
Cleveland's wealthiest suburb: Solon
Solon is the wealthiest suburb near Cleveland, according to the study.
—Alex Perry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for break down
Verb
Cream of tartar helps stabilize your meringue for a topping that won't break down.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 18 Aug. 2025
When communication breaks down, alignment suffers and engagement drops.
—Aaron Edgell, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2025
Noun
But like a road trip where you get held up in the same stretch of land for a long time (via a breakdown, traffic, whatever reason), even the most mesmerizing, strange sights lose their intrigue if little to no variation in the scenery is reaching your eyes.
—Josh Slater-Williams, IndieWire, 15 Aug. 2025
Here's a breakdown: Household mean income 2023: $161,798 Average home value June 2025: $565,612
One-year home value change (%): 4.59%
Cleveland's wealthiest suburb: Solon
Solon is the wealthiest suburb near Cleveland, according to the study.
—Alex Perry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for break down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break down
Verb
-
Gu classifies premium as cars over 40,000 Euros ($47,000).—
James Morris,
Forbes.com,
23 Aug. 2025
-
The expert group, which classifies global hunger crises for the UN, said that all of Gaza’s two million people were suffering severe hunger, with at least a quarter of them facing starvation.—
Semafor Staff,
semafor.com,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
While Season 1 was based on the Belgian series Clan, Horgan wrote a fresh trajectory for the siblings in Season 2, leading them through a new set of challenges, including, but not limited to, a con-man, a decomposing body and falling off a cliff.—
Antonia Blyth,
Deadline,
23 Aug. 2025
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The husband and wife owners of Return to Nature funeral home in Penrose were arrested after authorities found 190 decomposing bodies of adults, infants and fetuses, some stacked on top of each other, in October 2023 after neighbors reported a putrid smell coming from the building.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Eventually, the team took another look at the Pando frog specimens, analyzing their DNA and comparing them to other species.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
19 Aug. 2025
-
Inside Elections, a nonpartisan group that analyzes political races, says races for eight GOP House incumbents are toss-ups.—
David Lightman,
Sacbee.com,
19 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
In the past six years, more than 20 kids have died from unintentional shootings in Indianapolis, and in just over half of those cases, someone was criminally charged.—
Noe Padilla,
IndyStar,
21 Aug. 2025
-
Clough died from stomach cancer in September 2004, and again, that hit Kaminsky hard.—
Daniel Taylor,
New York Times,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Meanwhile, Mexico cracked the top 10 for the first time since the report's inception in 2012—the year America peaked at 11th place.—
Anjali Chaudhry,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
-
Consider how most cookware manufacturers warn against heating empty pots, which can lead to cracking, warping, or even harmful fumes.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Trained from childhood to be a lethal assassin by her father Erik Heller (Eric Bana), a former CIA operative, Hanna has been prepared for a single mission: to leave the forest and take down woman who killed her mother, Marissa Wiegler (Cate Blanchett).—
Travis Bean,
Forbes.com,
22 Aug. 2025
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The last post before the page was taken down was an invitation to join the group on a new format, likely Telegram, Strappato said.—
Barbie Latza Nadeau,
CNN Money,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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What is there to say when our souls have been shattered day after day, week after week, year after year?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Aug. 2025
-
But true evil transcends death…As Gwen begins to receive calls in her dreams from the black phone and experience disturbing visions, her determination to solve the mystery will lead her and Finn to a snowed-in winter camp and a shattering discovery about the Grabber and their own family’s history.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Then there was Spark’s nervous breakdown in January 1954.—
Judith Shulevitz,
The Atlantic,
10 Aug. 2025
-
Or perhaps Christie had a bout of amnesia or a nervous breakdown and traveled confusedly around England, as many of her biographers and her own doctors have suggested.—
Emily Zarevich,
JSTOR Daily,
24 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Break down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20down. Accessed 28 Aug. 2025.
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