break down 1 of 2

verb

Definition of break downnext
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

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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

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to die
to stop functioning the computer finally broke down and had to be replaced

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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

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6
as in to take down
to take apart the crew was breaking down the party tent when we arrived

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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

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breakdown

2 of 2

noun

ˈbrāk-ˌdau̇n How to pronounce breakdown (audio)
1
as in nervous breakdown
a mental or nervous collapse if you don't ease your workload, you're going to have a breakdown

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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

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3
as in analysis
the separation and identification of the parts of a whole the boss wanted a detailed breakdown of the sales figures

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word break down distinct from other similar verbs?

The words analyze and dissect are common synonyms of break down. While all three words mean "to divide a complex whole into its parts or elements," break down implies a reducing to simpler parts or divisions.

break down the budget

When is it sensible to use analyze instead of break down?

Although the words analyze and break down have much in common, analyze suggests separating or distinguishing the component parts of something (such as a substance, a process, a situation) so as to discover its true nature or inner relationships.

analyzed the collected data

When could dissect be used to replace break down?

While in some cases nearly identical to break down, dissect suggests a searching analysis by laying bare parts or pieces for individual scrutiny.

commentators dissected every word of the speech

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
Verb
The catalytic insert helped break down acetic acid generated by the waste during the test. — Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 19 Oct. 2026 Marc Trussler, a senior elections analyst on the NBC News Decision Desk, breaks down how this works using our latest poll as an example. — Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 19 Oct. 2026
Noun
However, the city did not provide a numerical breakdown of the crimes attributed to the technology or supporting data for its claim that the cameras have helped solve hundreds of cases. — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026 Researchers have identified a new bacterial enzyme that speeds up the breakdown of polyesters and bioplastics. — Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for break down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break down
  1. classify
  2. decompose
  3. analyze
  4. die
  5. crack
  6. take down
  7. shatter
  8. nervous breakdown
Verb
  • Improvements to LinkedIn’s detection systems have resulted in a 40% decline in views of content classified as AI slop, the platform said last month.
    — Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Just 9% of Porter’s 3-point attempts were classified as wide open, the lowest share among 307 players who took at least 100 3s.
    — C.J. Holmes, New York Daily News, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of classify
Verb
  • The coins were originally buried together in a container made of organic material that has since decomposed, archaeologists believe.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Many of the children's bodies were severely decomposed, with only 26 able to be identified, and investigations into the other deaths are ongoing.
    — Jefferson Kahinju Reuters, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of decompose
Verb
  • Local processing could help rovers analyze terrain, interpret sensor readings, and support decisions without sending every piece of data back to Earth.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Databricks helps organizations collect, process, and analyze large amounts of data and has been used by companies, such as Al-Futtaim Group, to help optimize its supply chain and develop a customer loyalty program.
    — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of analyze
Verb
  • Twenty-one of those who died were from Guatemala, Simmons said.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Francis Wanje, 62, told CBS News that eight of his family members, including his daughter and two grandchildren, died as part of the cult.
    — Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of die
Verb
  • But the real reason this outing cracks the list isn’t simply the six touchdowns.
    — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Kuemper cracked for the first time with just under six minutes left in the second period when rookie Victor Eklund’s shot squeezed through on a power play.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of crack
Verb
  • The estate sent Parillo a cease-and-desist letter demanding the accounts be taken down.
    — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Chmerkovskiy quickly took down the offending TikTok, but not before fan screenshots proliferated and Inaba got wind of it.
    — Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of take down
Verb
  • Overwhelmed police forces often failed to intervene as thousands of vandals, many wearing masks and caps that hid their faces, shattered storefront windows and walked off with merchandise.
    — Michael Finnegan, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
  • When Ida suddenly disappears, Sine’s world is shattered, yet her lost freedom, old friends, and acting career unexpectedly return.
    — Annika Pham, Variety, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of shatter
Noun
  • As rumors grew about why Talarico was not seen in public during one of the tightest campaigns in the country, Paxton suggested that the Democratic hopeful had suffered a nervous breakdown of some kind.
    — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 14 Oct. 2026
  • This had resulted in several nervous breakdowns during my first few weeks back home.
    — Joe Manganiello, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of nervous breakdown

Phrases Containing break down

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break bread
break down
breakdown
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Cite this Entry

“Break down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20down. Accessed 25 Oct. 2026.

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