1
as in anxieties
a mental or nervous collapse
if you don't ease your workload, you're going to have a breakdown
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in analyses
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 breakdowns
Replacement parts are hard to find and the warranty offers minimal coverage in case of breakdowns.
—
Bestreviews, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2026
The scorecard will consist of things like on-time, arrival, breakdowns, latenesses and vintage of the bus, the deputy chancellor said.
—Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 16 Apr. 2026
Defensive breakdowns have become glaring.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2026
In his emotional breakdowns, Elliott buckles under his testy relationship with his mother Lynn and then wanders through gatherings and parties with a perpetually dazed expression.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2026
Over the next decade and a half Allen continued to evolve stylistically and lyrically, moving from pop culture commentary to more emotionally revealing narratives about marital breakdowns, motherhood, and personal identity crises.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Apr. 2026
The White House has not yet offered detailed breakdowns of either figure, but one estimate by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, has put the cost of the war so far at nearly $30 billion.
—Claudia Grisales, NPR, 10 Apr. 2026
Council members largely supported the changes but pressed for more detailed breakdowns, including how often force is used against people experiencing homelessness.
—Austin Sanders, Austin American Statesman, 8 Apr. 2026
This is all in the first three paragraphs, and the breakdowns—a capacious category that, for Lemann, seems to encompass everything from rages to amiable fugues—do not let up.
—Brandy Jensen, New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2026
Bestreviews, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2026
The scorecard will consist of things like on-time, arrival, breakdowns, latenesses and vintage of the bus, the deputy chancellor said.
—Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 16 Apr. 2026
Defensive breakdowns have become glaring.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2026
In his emotional breakdowns, Elliott buckles under his testy relationship with his mother Lynn and then wanders through gatherings and parties with a perpetually dazed expression.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2026
Over the next decade and a half Allen continued to evolve stylistically and lyrically, moving from pop culture commentary to more emotionally revealing narratives about marital breakdowns, motherhood, and personal identity crises.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Apr. 2026
The White House has not yet offered detailed breakdowns of either figure, but one estimate by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, has put the cost of the war so far at nearly $30 billion.
—Claudia Grisales, NPR, 10 Apr. 2026
Council members largely supported the changes but pressed for more detailed breakdowns, including how often force is used against people experiencing homelessness.
—Austin Sanders, Austin American Statesman, 8 Apr. 2026
This is all in the first three paragraphs, and the breakdowns—a capacious category that, for Lemann, seems to encompass everything from rages to amiable fugues—do not let up.
—Brandy Jensen, New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breakdowns
Noun
-
The modern world forces us to waste time doing cost-benefit analyses of various inconveniences.—
Caroline Mimbs Nyce,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Improving these decisions requires multiple analyses, including reviewing past collections, identifying which attributes mattered, mapping those attributes to sell-through and comparing them to current demand signals.—
Anita Beveridge-Raffo,
Fortune,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Taiwan is considering the years-long process of restarting two reactors because of the current crisis, which will require meticulous inspections, safety checks and control system verifications.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
The Fire Department’s annual brush clearance inspections began April 1, so now’s the time to clean it out before any inspection.—
Terri Daxon,
Oc Register,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
While all three attacks are being treated as separate incidents, counterterror police are conducting the investigations due to the nature of the attacks, their locations and the types of buildings involved, the Met said.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Amid the police investigations, Mortensen filed for a protective order against Paul on March 19.—
Luke Chinman,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The team is a military police unit trained to respond to civil disturbances.—
Jack Harvel,
Kansas City Star,
13 Apr. 2026
-
The best chance to see the aurora is expected overnight from Thursday, April 9, into the early hours of April 10, when incoming solar wind disturbances may temporarily push Earth's magnetic field into G1 (minor) geomagnetic form levels, according to NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Breakdowns.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breakdowns. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
