melting down

Definition of melting downnext
present participle of melt down
as in losing it
to yield to mental or emotional stress rather than melt down, the team strengthened their resolve and ended up winning the game

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 melting down Practice non-reaction This can feel counterintuitive, but sometimes the best strategy is to take a pause and not immediately react or intervene when your child is melting down. ​wendy Wisner, Parents, 3 Apr. 2026 Sidestep a financial wrangle if someone is melting down. Tribune Content Agency, Baltimore Sun, 5 Jan. 2026 Explosions near the site had already damaged a high-voltage power line; Ukraine feared the failure of cooling systems that prevent nuclear fuel from melting down. Robin Wright, New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2025 The first of the films is Blue Moon, a sweet-and-sour portrait of the lyricist Lorenz Hart (played by Ethan Hawke) melting down at a bar near the tail end of his Broadway career. David Sims, The Atlantic, 4 Nov. 2025 If those systems fail—or simply run out of diesel—the plant would have no way to stop the nuclear fuel inside those reactors from overheating and potentially melting down. Simon Shuster, Time, 23 Oct. 2025 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for melting down
Verb
  • Long, patient takes devoid of nondiegetic elements immerse us in Misael’s rudimentary existence, with birdsong and cracking branches working together with DP Cobi Migliori’s handsome long-shot compositions to create a trancelike atmosphere.
    Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 16 May 2026
  • And quite frankly Johansson has never been better as a Queens mom and wife privately cracking but keeping it hidden from her family.
    Pete Hammond, Deadline, 16 May 2026
Verb
  • The audio recording captured the sounds of the ensuing attack, including banging, screaming, crying and choking.
    USA Today, USA Today, 6 May 2026
  • The mom of four explained that her children were eating dinner when the pre-teen started choking on a piece of food.
    Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 6 May 2026
Verb
  • 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
  • The beads release a lemon-fresh scent while breaking down grease trapped in garbage disposals.
    BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026
Verb
  • On a balcony, this looks like breaking up the lineup by alternating hanging planters with those on the ground.
    Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 20 Apr. 2026
  • The show opens with a couple, Dan (Mike Mitchell) and Dana (Plaza), breaking up and their cat, Kevin (Jason Schwartzman), deciding he’s done with both humans and will find his own way in the world.
    Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Melting down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/melting%20down. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

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