1
as in classified
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 decomposed
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 analyzed
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 died
to stop functioning
the computer finally broke down and had to be replaced
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in melted down
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 knocked down
to take apart
the crew was breaking down the party tent when we arrived
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in shattered
to cause to break with violence and much noise
firefighters had to break down the wall to rescue the kitten
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of broke down
With no usable video from the night of the robbery, prosecutors released footage from the night before that showed a museum employee entering the building after his car broke down.
—
ABC News, 26 Apr. 2026
One commenter broke down the dog’s couch strategy in football terms.
—Sara Vallone, Charlotte Observer, 26 Apr. 2026
Armed federal agents broke down the door while executing a warrant for someone else, and rounded up the people inside without properly determining whether Juan was a flight risk or a danger to the community, said Lear, his immigration attorney.
—Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 26 Apr. 2026
Cowden broke down each of their initial picks before returning to the warm room.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 25 Apr. 2026
On the way, their car broke down.
—Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
At the same time, the United States has imposed a naval blockade targeting ships entering or leaving Iranian ports, part of a broader effort to pressure Tehran's own energy exports after negotiations broke down.
—Sohel Uddin, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
The Pakistani side was surprised that talks broke down and a deal to end the war with Iran didn’t emerge after Iranian and US negotiators met in marathon discussions in Islamabad.
—Kevin Liptak, CNN Money, 12 Apr. 2026
Two empty crude tankers attempted to make their way through the Strait of Hormuz and into the Persian Gulf on Sunday, only to make last-minute U-turns just as peace negotiations between the US and Iran broke down, threatening a fragile ceasefire.
—Weilun Soon, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2026
ABC News, 26 Apr. 2026
One commenter broke down the dog’s couch strategy in football terms.
—Sara Vallone, Charlotte Observer, 26 Apr. 2026
Armed federal agents broke down the door while executing a warrant for someone else, and rounded up the people inside without properly determining whether Juan was a flight risk or a danger to the community, said Lear, his immigration attorney.
—Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 26 Apr. 2026
Cowden broke down each of their initial picks before returning to the warm room.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 25 Apr. 2026
On the way, their car broke down.
—Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
At the same time, the United States has imposed a naval blockade targeting ships entering or leaving Iranian ports, part of a broader effort to pressure Tehran's own energy exports after negotiations broke down.
—Sohel Uddin, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
The Pakistani side was surprised that talks broke down and a deal to end the war with Iran didn’t emerge after Iranian and US negotiators met in marathon discussions in Islamabad.
—Kevin Liptak, CNN Money, 12 Apr. 2026
Two empty crude tankers attempted to make their way through the Strait of Hormuz and into the Persian Gulf on Sunday, only to make last-minute U-turns just as peace negotiations between the US and Iran broke down, threatening a fragile ceasefire.
—Weilun Soon, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for broke down
Verb
-
Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, the Metropolitan Police’s counterterrorism chief, said the attack has been officially classified as terrorism as investigators work to determine the motive and whether the Jewish community was deliberately targeted.—
Bradford Betz,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Treasurer Richard Cain allegedly searched for donations that had been classified as restricted to certain purposes but could be reclassified as unrestricted, without consulting with the finance committee or auditors.—
Brian Boucher,
ARTnews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Her body was so badly decomposed; no DNA swab could be taken.—
Mary Murphy,
CBS News,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The body was decomposed and dismembered.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Also, our numbers guy Steve Kornacki analyzed the Derby field and identified some best bets.—
Steve Kornacki,
NBC news,
1 May 2026
-
This study analyzed national emergency department data over a 16-year period, from 2007 through 2022, focusing on unintentional injuries among children 5 and under.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
Agustín, an elderly man who lived on the streets and had mental health problems, died in February from burns inflicted by an 18-year-old who was later arrested.—
Sarah Moreno
Updated April 29,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
-
After Michael died in 2009, his three children — Prince, Paris and Bigi Jackson — moved to Hayvenhurst to be raised by their grandmother, Katherine.—
Staff Author,
PEOPLE,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Few expected this outcome, since the ornate helmet in particular would have been virtually unsellable without being melted down.—
Devorah Lauter,
ARTnews.com,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Many original prints were later lost, particularly during World War I, when film materials were melted down for their silver and celluloid content.—
Ryan Brennan
April 20,
Miami Herald,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That could allow time to consider alternatives for rehab before a building is knocked down for good.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
1 May 2026
-
And if Evan Mobley, who has struggled to shoot all year long, hadn’t knocked down all three of his 3s in the second half, perhaps that ferocity would have been enough.—
Eric Koreen,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The public rarely hears about defense features until an incident happens, such as when bullets shattered glass in 2011 or a radar anomaly put authorities on alert in 2019, exposing a missile battery.—
Neil Flanagan,
The Atlantic,
2 May 2026
-
With Philadelphia applying pressure, Winn shattered Trea Turner’s bat to induce a 5-4-3 double play, recording the first two outs of the inning.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
In 2023, the Rangers ranked second in all of Major League Baseball with 143 home runs, and second in OPS.—
Mac Engel
April 30,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Earlier this month, live coverage of the men’s final in Monte Carlo between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz ranked among the top three sports broadcasts in its time period.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Broke down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/broke%20down. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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