BREAKING DOWN Synonyms: 224 Similar and Opposite Words

breaking down

verb

present participle of break down

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

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Relevance

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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

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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

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as in dying

to stop functioning the computer finally broke down and had to be replaced

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starting (up)

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

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as in taking down

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

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as in shattering

to cause to break with violence and much noise firefighters had to break down the wall to rescue the kitten

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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 breaking down Beating top teams is one (important) thing, breaking down more defensive sides is another. —

Andy Mitten, New York Times, 17 June 2026 But the company touts itself as a more sophisticated method than merely detecting if a work is present in training data, rather breaking down on a more granular level how the works are being used. —

Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 10 June 2026 Following years of Xbox breaking down platform barriers for its games with competitors PlayStation and Nintendo under longtime chief Phil Spencer, the move was a radical change by new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma. —

Jennifer Maas, Variety, 10 June 2026 On April 9, officials with the archdiocese provided Leawood Police with a flash drive containing the church’s financial records, the affidavit said, along with a spreadsheet breaking down all financial activity from 2021 through 2025. —

Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 10 June 2026 The wasps build their nests by breaking down plant and wood fibers to form a papery substance. —

Patricia S York, Southern Living, 3 June 2026 Jinky appeared stunned — and repeatedly asked whether the money was real before breaking down in tears. —

Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 27 May 2026 Macro thesis Disinflation trade is breaking down Tuesday’s CPI report showed that the inflation shock is no longer just about energy. —

Tony Zhang, CNBC, 13 May 2026 Water is also essential for breaking down and absorbing nutrients. —

Jillian Kubala, Health, 6 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for breaking down

Verb

The team began sorting through possible origins for this high-energy neutrino particle by acting like cosmic forensic detectives, classifying the detection of the particle as a crime scene and hunting for potential clues that point toward a culprit.

— Robert Lea, Space.com, 28 May 2026
Researchers debuted an inventory for classifying apocalyptic belief, comprising anthropogenic causality, theogenic causality, imminence, personal control, and the question of whether the end is a good or bad thing.

— Wyatt Williams, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026