1
as in to classify
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to decompose
to go through decomposition
the enamel of a human tooth will begin to break down when exposed to sugar for too long
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to analyze
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to die
to stop functioning
the computer finally broke down and had to be replaced
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to crack
to yield to mental or emotional stress
began to break down when he realized that he was on the verge of bankruptcy
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in to take down
to take apart
the crew was breaking down the party tent when we arrived
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in to shatter
to cause to break with violence and much noise
firefighters had to break down the wall to rescue the kitten
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in nervous breakdown
a mental or nervous collapse
if you don't ease your workload, you're going to have a breakdown
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in decomposition
the process by which dead organic matter separates into simpler substances
the breakdown of the body was arrested by the embalming process
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in analysis
the separation and identification of the parts of a whole
the boss wanted a detailed breakdown of the sales figures
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of break down
Jillian Kubala, Health, 29 Apr. 2026
But the growing embrace of computerized systems has at times meant fewer pencil-and-paper contingency plans when technology breaks down.
—Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2026
ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026
The choices make for both a fast setup and a quick breakdown.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break down
Verb
To create a smoother, creamier product, many commercial oat milk products use amylase enzymes, which break down the starch in oats into simpler sugars, like maltose.
—Jillian Kubala, Health, 29 Apr. 2026
But the growing embrace of computerized systems has at times meant fewer pencil-and-paper contingency plans when technology breaks down.
—Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2026
Noun
The 13-year veteran gave a detailed 2-3 minute breakdown in the locker room on what was needed to come back.
—ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026
The choices make for both a fast setup and a quick breakdown.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break down
Verb
-
He was charged with battery and burglary of an unoccupied dwelling in September 2023, and with battery that May — both classified in court records as misdemeanors.—
Claudia Lauer,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The species is classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, a classification that reflects both the remaining threats facing the animals and the significant progress conservation efforts have made.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The body was decomposed and dismembered.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Her arms and legs had been cut off, and her body was significantly decomposed, according to the report.—
Steven J. Horowitz,
Variety,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But the new traffic data the railroads analyzed from all the major freight railroads convinced executives that more job growth is likely.—
Josh Funk,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
-
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In 2019, Elisa Serna died at the Las Colinas women’s jail after a doctor and nurse left her alone after watching her collapse.—
Kelly Davis,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
That’s the year the Boston Marathon suffered a terrorist attack in which three people died and hundreds more were injured.—
Cressida Leyshon,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But as the ball swung around the perimeter, opportunities arose for the likes of Dosunmu and McDaniels to crack the paint off the bounce.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The physicality ramped up early in the second period when the B’s fourth line flexed their muscle and cracked Lyon.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Our impressively multicultural team of street racers now freelance in the shadowy and complex world of covert ops, jetting around the world to take down an increasingly unhinged array of nihilist supervillains.—
Hua Hsu,
New Yorker,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Long-term federal gang and violence prosecutions are designed to take down organizations.—
Andrew S. Boutros,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
By 2025, the War on Terror had shattered entire nations and economies, displaced some 40 million citizens and directly and indirectly killed over four million.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Apr. 2026
-
But the illusion shatters when a stranger on the street recognizes the dog… as HER boyfriend Danny’s dog.—
William Earl,
Variety,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This happened years before, in such a serious way that my friend had to take a three-month medical leave of absence due to what was likely a nervous breakdown.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Apr. 2026
-
When their news anchor (Peter Finch) has a nervous breakdown on the air, suddenly their ratings turn around, bringing on a moral morass only some of them are prepared to face.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Break down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20down. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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