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
Audrey Noble, Vogue, 26 May 2025
The International Olympic Committee has several printable fact sheets on proper fueling for athletes, each broken down by easy, moderate, and hard workout days to make the guidance even easier to follow.
—Korin Miller, Outside Online, 24 May 2025
Luca Evans, Denver Post, 23 May 2025
Here’s a game-by-game breakdown of the Vikings schedule The NFL further increased its international presence by granting global marketing rights to the Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals and Tennessee Titans and bring all 32 teams into the 21-country program that was launched three years ago.
—Dave Campbell, Twin Cities, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for break down
Verb
The difference between the two can be broken down as follows:
Mineral Sunscreens
Mineral sunscreens, also known as physical sunscreens, block the sun’s harmful UV rays from penetrating the skin.
—Audrey Noble, Vogue, 26 May 2025
The International Olympic Committee has several printable fact sheets on proper fueling for athletes, each broken down by easy, moderate, and hard workout days to make the guidance even easier to follow.
—Korin Miller, Outside Online, 24 May 2025
Noun
Here’s a breakdown of a few deals (data from Spotrac) among players with somewhat similar profiles.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 23 May 2025
Here’s a game-by-game breakdown of the Vikings schedule The NFL further increased its international presence by granting global marketing rights to the Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals and Tennessee Titans and bring all 32 teams into the 21-country program that was launched three years ago.
—Dave Campbell, Twin Cities, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for break down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break down
Verb
-
Birders and organizations such as the American Ornithological Society have always classified them as separate species.—
Elay Shech,
The Conversation,
30 May 2025
-
Some would impose net neutrality requirements or classify ISPs as utilities, the filing said.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
30 May 2025
Verb
-
This multi-agent architecture enables organizations to decompose complex business processes into manageable, specialized components.—
Janakiram MSV,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
-
Las Vegas Metro Police discovered the body of Matthew Kelemen, 56, decomposing and wrapped in a tarp inside a locked plastic bin near Fremont Street on May 20 after responding to reports of a foul odor, the department wrote in a press release.—
Christina Coulter,
People.com,
27 May 2025
Verb
-
This includes the Dialogue Agent, which allows both data teams and non-technical users to interact with structured data through natural language queries, and the Explanation Agent, which analyzes query results and provides clear, summarized insights.—
Andre Claudio,
Sourcing Journal,
27 May 2025
-
The 2009 study analyzed how honeybees are affected by low doses of cocaine.—
Scott Lafee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 May 2025
Verb
-
Pride, who died in 2020, is considered to be the country genre's first Black superstar.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
28 May 2025
-
In Zone 6, chaste tree will die back to the ground in the winter and vigorously regrow in spring to a 5 or 6-foot shrub.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
28 May 2025
Verb
-
Once it’s done baking, slightly open your oven to release the steam and allow the cake to adjust to room temperature before setting in the fridge, ensuring your cheesecake doesn’t dry out or crack in the process.—
Sam Settleman,
New York Times,
1 June 2025
-
The men beat 27-year-old Chin with a baseball bat, cracking his skull.—
Hannah Allam,
ProPublica,
31 May 2025
Verb
-
The Wize Guy Entertainment website was taken down after a slew of negative reviews were left by furious parents on the business’ Yelp page.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2025
-
Meanwhile, Spotify only took down the song following public pressure but has yet to answer for allowing major podcasts to platform Holocaust deniers and amplify virulent antisemites.—
Jonathan A. Greenblatt,
HollywoodReporter,
29 May 2025
Verb
-
But the illusion of paradise is shattered when another guest is found dead and Gabriel becomes the prime suspect.—
Laura Thompson,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
-
The Dolphins haven’t had a route runner like him since Randy McMichael, whose single-season receptions and yards produced record, which was set in 2004, Smith shattered.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
21 May 2025
Noun
-
His views collide with those of the town’s mayor, Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal), a local bar owner who briefly dated Joe’s wife Louise, now recovering from a nervous breakdown.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
16 May 2025
-
There are reports, along the path, of undisclosed illnesses that sound suspiciously like nervous breakdowns.—
John Jeremiah Sullivan,
Harpers Magazine,
29 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Break down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20down. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
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