1
as in classifying
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 decomposing
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 analyzing
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 dying
to stop functioning
the computer finally broke down and had to be replaced
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in melting down
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 taking down
to take apart
the crew was breaking down the party tent when we arrived
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in shattering
to cause to break with violence and much noise
firefighters had to break down the wall to rescue the kitten
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of breaking down
But that instinct is breaking down.
—
Mohammed R. Mhawish, New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2025
This is the web version of Fortune Tech, a daily newsletter breaking down the biggest players and stories shaping the future.
—Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2025
Influencers are already breaking down the steps of the dance so fellow fans can join in on the fun.
—Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 6 Oct. 2025
When breaking down what the heck happened over the last four months, the first item on the list is the way New York’s starting rotation disintegrated.
—Tim Britton, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
Suitable for use on double spinner wheels, the rubber covers slip directly onto the exterior of the wheels to prevent them from breaking down on uneven surfaces with the help of thick, durable silicone material.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 23 Sep. 2025
But in 2025, that script is breaking down.
—Sarah Hernholm, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
The clear gel feels silky, not goopy, and holds hairs in place without breaking down into flakes.
—Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
About The Daily Money Each weekday, The Daily Money delivers the best consumer and financial news from USA TODAY, breaking down complex events, providing the TLDR version, and explaining how everything from Fed rate changes to bankruptcies impacts you.
—Betty Lin-Fisher, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025
Mohammed R. Mhawish, New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2025
This is the web version of Fortune Tech, a daily newsletter breaking down the biggest players and stories shaping the future.
—Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2025
Influencers are already breaking down the steps of the dance so fellow fans can join in on the fun.
—Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 6 Oct. 2025
When breaking down what the heck happened over the last four months, the first item on the list is the way New York’s starting rotation disintegrated.
—Tim Britton, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
Suitable for use on double spinner wheels, the rubber covers slip directly onto the exterior of the wheels to prevent them from breaking down on uneven surfaces with the help of thick, durable silicone material.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 23 Sep. 2025
But in 2025, that script is breaking down.
—Sarah Hernholm, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
The clear gel feels silky, not goopy, and holds hairs in place without breaking down into flakes.
—Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
About The Daily Money Each weekday, The Daily Money delivers the best consumer and financial news from USA TODAY, breaking down complex events, providing the TLDR version, and explaining how everything from Fed rate changes to bankruptcies impacts you.
—Betty Lin-Fisher, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breaking down
Verb
-
Related Stories In a nutsell, the test arranged by the cutter’s union documented that AI tools are great for organizing, classifying and summarizing.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
16 Oct. 2025
-
Cal Fire updated Saratoga’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone map in June, classifying some southwestern portions of the city as moderate or high fire hazard zones.—
Nollyanne Delacruz,
Mercury News,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Directors of a Texas funeral home are accused of neglecting bodies found decomposing in their mortuary without working air conditioning, authorities say.—
Mike Stunson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Oct. 2025
-
Mushrooms also thrive in decomposing wood mulch.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
By analyzing grocery orders that included candy throughout the year, Instacart uncovered each state’s top Halloween picks.—
Diana Leyva,
Nashville Tennessean,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Archaeologists plan to continue analyzing these artifacts and excavating the area around the ancient basin.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Kansas City Star,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Away from the ship, Barton was spending much of her time in a warehouse called Los Fosos, four long buildings housing hundreds of reconcentrados who were dying so quickly their graves went unnamed.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Oct. 2025
-
He was later sold to an amusement park in Mexico before starring in Free Willy, being released back into the ocean in 1998 before dying.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Grok itself debunks the statement regarding Kirk; Musk’s AI tool cannot find evidence of Steele melting down over people mourning the assassination.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
2 Oct. 2025
-
The secret is melting down pink Himalayan salt to combine it with maple syrup.—
Abby Hamblin,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images Amazon Web Services, a leader in the cloud infrastructure market, reported a major outage on Monday, taking down numerous big-name websites.—
Tasmin Lockwood,Katrina Bishop,
CNBC,
20 Oct. 2025
-
The Dodgers were able to accomplish their goal in 2024, taking down the New York Yankees in the World Series.—
Noah Camras,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Two men left and fired into the restaurant from the outside, shattering windows and striking two teenagers.—
David Ferrara,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
14 Oct. 2025
-
The crash’s giddy prequel, dramatic unfolding, and shattering aftermath—the Great Depression—has long provided compelling material for writers.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
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WalletHub factored in 30 component into their ranking such as; gas prices, annual hours in traffic per driver, auto-repair shops per capita, and car theft rate.—
Paige Moore,
AZCentral.com,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Minneapolis has a large number of senior centers and recreation centers, ranking eighth in the nation for the availability of those resources.—
Katie Nadworny,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Breaking down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breaking%20down. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
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