1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

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

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

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

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

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
And this, according to Penrose’s hypothesis, developed independently by the Hungarian physicist Lajos Diósi, is where quantum mechanics should break down. — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2026 With their lineup and pitching continuity broken down, the Giants have used 66 players this year, matching their franchise record. — Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Noun
Moving beyond a stigma around discussing marital breakdowns, the content provides a space for the creators to heal, and for their followers to relate and reflect on their own experiences and emotions. — ABC News, 8 Sep. 2026 After two weeks of testing (primarily by my wife, to be honest), here is my breakdown. — New Atlas, 8 Sep. 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
  • The department does not classify its calls by snake type, the spokesperson said.
    — Haley Parsley, Sacbee.com, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The petition sought to classify data centers as industrial nuisances, arguing that a ban would protect residents’ property and preserve city resources, such as water and electricity.
    — Cuyler Dunn, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of classify
Verb
  • Most of the remains were severely decomposed, but investigators believed Montgomery had been dead for less than a day when he was found.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Fifteen months later, 56 decomposing bodies were found at their South Chicago Chapel.
    — Susana Mendoza, Chicago Tribune, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of decompose
Verb
  • The teachers scanned their work and used AI to analyze how their handwriting could improve.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Sep. 2026
  • By analyzing more than 25,000 volcanic rocks, a new study finds that Gondwana likely accounted for around 80 percent of total global land area around 500 million years ago.
    — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of analyze
Verb
  • Hanna also experienced tragedy, when one of her horses died in transit.
    — Danielle Rossingh, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Mamdani’s plan to join families of those who died during the attacks has been met with significant pushback.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of die
Verb
  • Musetti cracked the world’s top five earlier this year, but has been hampered by injuries since.
    — Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Eggs are famous for being fragile, cracking open at the slightest nudge against a countertop.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of crack
Verb
  • During a joint practice that year with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Campbell accidentally took down running back JaMycal Hasty in a non-padded practice.
    — Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The Physics Problem Mesh advocates like to describe their architecture as inherently robust because there’s no central node to take down.
    — Nir Goldstein, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of take down
Verb
  • Last week a number of concerned mathematicians, many of them at the top of their subject, launched the Association for Human Mathematics (AHM)—an effort that was underway even before the earth-shattering Navier-Stokes news.
    — Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Maya’s fear of commitment mirrors the film’s fear of showing us anything truly ugly or grappling with the idea that our heroine is one of many, many people who lost someone during a society-shattering number of years.
    — Jourdain Searles, HollywoodReporter, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of shatter
Noun
  • Gloria Steinem attributed her mother's nervous breakdown before she was born, and her treatment in mental institutions and the workforce thereafter, as key to her interest in social injustices.
    — Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2026
  • In 1944 her parents divorced, and 10-year-old Gloria was left to take care of her mother, a once-promising journalist who struggled to combine her work with running a household and who eventually suffered a nervous breakdown.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of nervous breakdown

Phrases Containing break down

Browse Nearby Words

break bread
break down
breakdown
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Break down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20down. Accessed 15 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of quorum

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
funny guinea pig in glasses reading a book
Challenging Words You Should Know Vol 2 Words to the wise
See All