BREAKS DOWN Synonyms: 220 Similar and Opposite Words

breaks down

verb

present tense third-person singular of break down

as in ranks

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 decomposes

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 analyzes

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 dies

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

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starts (up)

as in melts 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 takes down

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

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as in shatters

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 breaks down From the moment of his election, Leo has sought to offer a leadership that breaks down divisions. —

Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 13 Apr. 2026 Smashing vegetables softens their raw, fibrous bite and breaks down their structure. —

Jesse Szewczyk, Bon Appetit Magazine, 12 Apr. 2026 Ookla also breaks down the user test samples by Wi-Fi generation, offering a glimpse of how many Americans are stuck on older wireless standards and could use an upgrade. —

Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 6 Apr. 2026 The children's special breaks down the whole story of Jesus' death and resurrection. —

Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 5 Apr. 2026 This action thriller is on pointe with Maddie Ziegler, Lana Condor, Millicent Simmonds, Iris Apatow and Avantika as ballerinas whose bus breaks down going to a major competition in Budapest. —

Brian Truitt, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026 The study and device are likely to help researchers understand biological systems, such as circadian rhythms, and nonreciprocal processes, such as how the body breaks down food. —

Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 23 Mar. 2026 To explain the gap, Martin breaks down labor and materials. —

J.m. Banks march 16, Kansas City Star, 16 Mar. 2026 As the mulch breaks down or becomes unattractive, rake it away before applying a new layer. —

Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 9 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for breaks down

Verb

Varnesdeel’s 2aDays page, for example, ranks second on Google for her full name, just behind her Davenport athletics staff directory page.

— Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 14 Apr. 2026
Sadiq ranks 16th overall in Dane Brugler’s 2026 NFL Draft guide.

— Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 14 Apr. 2026