as in breakdown
a mental or nervous collapse
you're going to have a nervous breakdown if you keep up that pace
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Recent Examples of nervous breakdown
In 1964, Wilson suffered a nervous breakdown, quit touring, and retreated to the studio, while the rest of the group stayed on the road.
—
David Morgan, CBS News, 8 Nov. 2025
Dern played a troubled sales executive who moves back in with her mom after a nervous breakdown at the office.
—Meriam Bouarrouj, NBC news, 3 Nov. 2025
Lane is on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
—Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2025
Fawlty Towers established Scales' role as a TV darling; the actress starred as the wife of Basil Fawlty (played by John Cleese), a rude hotel manager who forever appeared to be on the brink of a nervous breakdown.
—Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nervous breakdown
David Morgan, CBS News, 8 Nov. 2025
Dern played a troubled sales executive who moves back in with her mom after a nervous breakdown at the office.
—Meriam Bouarrouj, NBC news, 3 Nov. 2025
Lane is on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
—Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2025
Fawlty Towers established Scales' role as a TV darling; the actress starred as the wife of Basil Fawlty (played by John Cleese), a rude hotel manager who forever appeared to be on the brink of a nervous breakdown.
—Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nervous breakdown
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nervous breakdown
breakdown
Noun
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Although extremely rare, a condition called rhabdomyolysis can occur when your kidneys are overwhelmed with particles from muscle breakdown and can cause permanent kidney damage.—
Brad Stulberg,
Outside,
26 Mar. 2026
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As rising global temperatures threaten the polar ice floes, loud and previously-unknown sounds from the breakdown of ice are becoming more frequent, impacting polar ecosystems.—
Andrew Coletti,
Popular Science,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nervous breakdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nervous%20breakdown. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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