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
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Recent Examples of break down
Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
In a recent column for Bleacher Report, Brent Sobleski broke down winners and losers from each matchup of opening weekend.
—Kevin McCormick, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Matt Slater, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025
Here’s a breakdown of the 34-year-old’s criminal record.
—Julia Coin, Charlotte Observer, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for break down
Verb
Adam later finds Jeremiah and hugs his son, while Jere breaks down crying in his arms.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
In a recent column for Bleacher Report, Brent Sobleski broke down winners and losers from each matchup of opening weekend.
—Kevin McCormick, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
There are also totals for the next two seasons — £126million and £89m — but no position-by-position breakdowns.
—Matt Slater, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025
Here’s a breakdown of the 34-year-old’s criminal record.
—Julia Coin, Charlotte Observer, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for break down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break down
Verb
-
Forbes classifies Ellison–who bought nearly all of the Hawaiian island Lanai for $300 million in 2012–as a California resident based on his voter registration.—
Ella Malmgren,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Arguing that relocation can stem the loss of biodiversity, the government has classified some islands used by Nicobarese tribals as wildlife sanctuaries.—
M. Rajshekhar,
Time,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
O’Steen bludgeoned Marissa Grimes, dug a shallow grave for her under his house in west Fort Worth and for 10 days lived above where police later sawed open the floor to expose Grimes’ decomposing 135-pound body, prosecutors have argued that the evidence shows.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Two people discovered badly decomposed human remains while doing a walkthrough of a home for sale in Ohio, police told news outlets.—
Mitchell Willetts,
Kansas City Star,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Once considered a cornerstone of learning, the ability to analyze, evaluate, and discern information has been replaced by an overreliance on quick answers.—
Sixteen Ramos,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
-
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,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Kirk promised that her husband will not have died in vain and said that instead his message would only become stronger.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Daniel Crémieux, founder of the French menswear brand Crémieux, died Friday at age 87 at his home in Aix-en-Provence, France, surrounded by his family.—
Jean E. Palmieri,
Footwear News,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Even some of the most successful K-pop artists in America have yet to crack one of Billboard’s radio lists, or to land a major win.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Thanks to the flaw, the hackers were able to crack the credentials and gain administrative privileges to accounts on Ascension’s Microsoft Active Directory server, which can be harnessed to manage user accounts and applications over a company’s network.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Jefferson-Wooden took down three-time Olympic champion and fourth fastest woman of all-time Gabby Thomas twice this year in the 200-meter dash.—
Katelyn Hutchison,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
-
The Florida Republican also called for social media companies to take down the videos capturing the moments he was shot.—
Amy DeLaura,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
What would shatter any other nation has become our daily broadcast.—
John Feinblatt,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
-
These hopes are shattered when a brutish stranger appears on the doorstep to take his family back.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Originally published in 1961, the novel follows Josephine, a young woman on the edge of a nervous breakdown.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
19 Aug. 2025
-
Then there was Spark’s nervous breakdown in January 1954.—
Judith Shulevitz,
The Atlantic,
10 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Break down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20down. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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