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
Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 18 Aug. 2025
When communication breaks down, alignment suffers and engagement drops.
—Aaron Edgell, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2025
Josh Slater-Williams, IndieWire, 15 Aug. 2025
Here's a breakdown: Household mean income 2023: $161,798 Average home value June 2025: $565,612
One-year home value change (%): 4.59%
Cleveland's wealthiest suburb: Solon
Solon is the wealthiest suburb near Cleveland, according to the study.
—Alex Perry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for break down
Verb
Cream of tartar helps stabilize your meringue for a topping that won't break down.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 18 Aug. 2025
When communication breaks down, alignment suffers and engagement drops.
—Aaron Edgell, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2025
Noun
But like a road trip where you get held up in the same stretch of land for a long time (via a breakdown, traffic, whatever reason), even the most mesmerizing, strange sights lose their intrigue if little to no variation in the scenery is reaching your eyes.
—Josh Slater-Williams, IndieWire, 15 Aug. 2025
Here's a breakdown: Household mean income 2023: $161,798 Average home value June 2025: $565,612
One-year home value change (%): 4.59%
Cleveland's wealthiest suburb: Solon
Solon is the wealthiest suburb near Cleveland, according to the study.
—Alex Perry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for break down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break down
Verb
-
The lockbox is fireproof and waterproof and Underwriters Laboratory (UL) classified.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Aug. 2025
-
The best way to protect yourself from poor air quality is to stay indoors, especially when the Air Quality Index reaches above 101, which is classified as unhealthy for sensitive groups, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.—
Jack Albright,
jsonline.com,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
His family confirmed his death to PEOPLE and in a social media statement on Saturday, Aug. 9, one day after a decomposing body was discovered near the area where the teenager was last seen.—
Nicholas Rice,
People.com,
10 Aug. 2025
-
However, the man’s face was badly decomposed and his identification by the city medical examiner is still pending.—
Rebecca White,
New York Daily News,
4 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Eventually, the team took another look at the Pando frog specimens, analyzing their DNA and comparing them to other species.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
19 Aug. 2025
-
Inside Elections, a nonpartisan group that analyzes political races, says races for eight GOP House incumbents are toss-ups.—
David Lightman,
Sacbee.com,
19 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
In the past six years, more than 20 kids have died from unintentional shootings in Indianapolis, and in just over half of those cases, someone was criminally charged.—
Noe Padilla,
IndyStar,
21 Aug. 2025
-
Almost 400 people have died in Pakistan after flash floods brought destruction throughout the country’s north.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Justin Scott Of all the first- and second-year defensive linemen on the Hurricanes’ roster, Justin Scott is the most poised for consistent playing time — and to potentially crack the starting lineup.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
12 Aug. 2025
-
When the car is parked, leaving the windows cracked can let some air in help beat the heat.—
Keenan Thompson,
USA Today,
12 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Over the last few years,ACE has successfully taken down a number of piracy platforms including streaming providers Openload, 123movies.la and Streamango, pirate IPTV service Beast IPTV, the streaming site, and what was the world's largest anime piracy site, Zoro.to.—
Emma Woollacott,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
-
Here's what to expect the week of launch: Aug. 15, 2025: The current website will be taken down and no further data will be able to be input as of that time.—
Anna Kleiber,
jsonline.com,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
What is there to say when our souls have been shattered day after day, week after week, year after year?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Aug. 2025
-
But true evil transcends death…As Gwen begins to receive calls in her dreams from the black phone and experience disturbing visions, her determination to solve the mystery will lead her and Finn to a snowed-in winter camp and a shattering discovery about the Grabber and their own family’s history.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Then there was Spark’s nervous breakdown in January 1954.—
Judith Shulevitz,
The Atlantic,
10 Aug. 2025
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Or perhaps Christie had a bout of amnesia or a nervous breakdown and traveled confusedly around England, as many of her biographers and her own doctors have suggested.—
Emily Zarevich,
JSTOR Daily,
24 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Break down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20down. Accessed 23 Aug. 2025.
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