as in cracks
to yield to mental or emotional stress
rather than melt down, the team strengthened their resolve and ended up winning the game
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Recent Examples of melts down
The wedding — and especially Cassie and Nate’s dance, as Cassie melts down on the day she’s spent her life dreaming of, having learned about the deep financial hole Nate is in — must have felt especially layered.
—
Daniel D'addario,
Variety,
10 June 2026
The snowpack acts as a natural water storage system for California, and ideally when the region’s climate shifts from cold to warm and dry, the snow gradually melts down from rivers and creeks to fill reservoirs over a period of months.
—
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
Daniel D'addario,
Variety,
10 June 2026
The snowpack acts as a natural water storage system for California, and ideally when the region’s climate shifts from cold to warm and dry, the snow gradually melts down from rivers and creeks to fill reservoirs over a period of months.
—
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for melts down
Verb
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Holmes deduces that each pose represents a letter and cracks the code by matching the most common poses with the most common letters.
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There was one where the both managers got ejected in the same moment, which cracks me up.
Verb
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Carbonfact is launching a free and opensource database that breaks down the environmental impact of production processes in the fashion industry into smaller and more accurate bits of information.
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The Daily Money breaks down complex consumer and financial news.
Verb
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Remove chokes from artichokes and steam in small amount of water for 15 minutes, adding water to pan as needed.
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Connecticut’s largest cities also struggle with the state’s highest property tax rates, which chokes business growth and, in turn, shifts more burden onto residential owners.
Verb
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When the ice breaks up in spring, the water in a lake begins what is commonly called a turnover.
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So, for instance, in a situation where somebody is no longer with us or somebody leaves a band or a band breaks up.
Cite this Entry
“Melts down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/melts%20down. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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