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
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
This is the web version of Fortune Tech, a daily newsletter breaking down the biggest players and stories shaping the future.
—Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 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
Lightning also sparks hydroxyl radicals, which help cleanse the air by breaking down methane and other gases.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2025
Elsewhere among playoff contenders, relievers have been breaking down.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Aug. 2025
Tim Britton, New York Times, 30 Sep. 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, 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
Lightning also sparks hydroxyl radicals, which help cleanse the air by breaking down methane and other gases.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2025
Elsewhere among playoff contenders, relievers have been breaking down.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breaking down
Verb
-
Forecasters give Sherrill an advantage, with both the Cook Political Report and Sabato's Crystal Ball classifying the race as Leans Democrat.—
Andrew Stanton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Sep. 2025
-
One example is neuron selectivity in neural networks for classifying images.—
Ben Brubaker,
Quanta Magazine,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
This prompts the straw to start decomposing, ensuring the bales won’t overheat and burn your plants later.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Gates visited Koie’s mountainside studio in Gifu with Koie’s daughter, who shared that her father would be okay with the studio decomposing into the mountain.—
Elizabeth Cantrell,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In analyzing Charlotte’s guard-heavy roster, many pundits externally don’t view the Hornets’ frontline as a strength.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
4 Oct. 2025
-
Fingerprint matrix Ordinary imaging methods, whether photographs, sonar, or ultrasound scans, rely on sending a wave toward an object and analyzing the portion that bounces back.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The thriller series was left on a cliffhanger, with President Rayburn (Michael McKean) dying at the end of season two.—
Abid Rahman,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Oct. 2025
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Women who miss their first screening appointment for breast cancer could have a 40% higher long-term risk of dying from the disease, according to a new study.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The secret is melting down pink Himalayan salt to combine it with maple syrup.—
Abby Hamblin,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Some teams look fantastic before melting down within a few weeks (2024 New Orleans Saints) and others can get off to a rough start before blossoming within the first two months (2024 Washington Commanders).—
Mike Kaye
September 10,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The New York Giants recorded their first win of the 2025 NFL season in Week 4, taking down the previously unbeaten Los Angeles Chargers 21-18 on Sunday.—
Matt Audilet,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Sep. 2025
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Dual katanas are strong against polearms while odachis specialize in taking down adversaries wielding heavy weapons.—
Gieson Cacho,
Mercury News,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Juni was shot in the head twice, with one bullet skimming her eye, and the other shattering her jaw.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
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Bonded by a mysterious, complicated past, the men share a fraught, if occasionally tender relationship that had been forever altered by shattering events decades earlier.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Hong Kong’s financial secretary Paul Chan said Sunday that initial public offerings had raised nearly 150 billion Hong Kong dollars so far this year, ranking top globally.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
30 Sep. 2025
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With three of the next four opponents having offenses ranking in the bottom 10 in yards per game, the time is now for the Cowboys’ defense to figure out its issues before the gauntlet that awaits in November and December.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Breaking down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breaking%20down. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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