break down 1 of 2

verb

Definition of break downnext
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

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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

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to die
to stop functioning the computer finally broke down and had to be replaced

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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

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6
as in to take down
to take apart the crew was breaking down the party tent when we arrived

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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

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breakdown

2 of 2

noun

ˈbrāk-ˌdau̇n How to pronounce breakdown (audio)
1
as in nervous breakdown
a mental or nervous collapse if you don't ease your workload, you're going to have a breakdown

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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

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3
as in analysis
the separation and identification of the parts of a whole the boss wanted a detailed breakdown of the sales figures

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word break down distinct from other similar verbs?

The words analyze and dissect are common synonyms of break down. While all three words mean "to divide a complex whole into its parts or elements," break down implies a reducing to simpler parts or divisions.

break down the budget

When is it sensible to use analyze instead of break down?

Although the words analyze and break down have much in common, analyze suggests separating or distinguishing the component parts of something (such as a substance, a process, a situation) so as to discover its true nature or inner relationships.

analyzed the collected data

When could dissect be used to replace break down?

While in some cases nearly identical to break down, dissect suggests a searching analysis by laying bare parts or pieces for individual scrutiny.

commentators dissected every word of the speech

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of break down
Verb
This voter guide breaks down what you’ll be asked to decide, from the race for governor, to congressional and legislative seats, to school board and city council contests and local measures. — Sacbee.com, 5 Oct. 2026 Interestingly, the material is also recyclable, meaning its constituent parts can be broken down and reused. — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 4 Oct. 2026
Noun
The nonprofit Stand Up for Stand Up posted a detailed breakdown of the data that outlines a 66% shrinkage in the SiriusXM Raw channel roster. — Christina Catherine Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026 What’s on the Keller ISD school bond ballot Here is a breakdown of the five propositions listed on the ballot which are on the district’s bond website. — Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for break down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break down
  1. classify
  2. decompose
  3. analyze
  4. die
  5. crack
  6. take down
  7. shatter
  8. nervous breakdown
Verb
  • The shoe is classified as a sandal style, but comes up to the knees like a boot.
    — Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 4 Oct. 2026
  • To classify the upcoming back-to-back games as a test for the cornerbacks would be an understatement.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of classify
Verb
  • The evolution of land plants and the development of soil go hand in hand—as these pioneering plants, trees, and animals died and their decomposing remains were recycled on land, by fungi and the first soil invertebrates, modern soils began to form.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Even poor Maggie the cat — the only living animal in Digger’s house and possibly one of the last living animals in the world — is decomposing in his arms, his sister (Sandra Hüller) says with a shudder.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of decompose
Verb
  • Instead, those technologies automated routine work — and increased the value of workers who could analyze information, solve problems, and advise people.
    — Mary Moreland, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The county’s diversification is about average compared to the 23 other counties analyzed by this specific measure but is high compared to typical United States counties.
    — Lizzie Kane, Sacbee.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of analyze
Verb
  • After a concertgoer died in the audience at a Carson music festival on Saturday, an artist is outraged the show continued while the deceased was still on-site.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
  • An inmate died in an apparent homicide Tuesday morning after an attack by another prisoner at California State Prison, Sacramento, state corrections officials said.
    — Michael McGough, Sacbee.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of die
Verb
  • Remember earlier this summer when Sophie Cunningham got her teeth cracked by an elbow and no foul was called?
    — Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • In the close quarters of the boat, the family’s fragile equilibrium, long organised around his volatility, begins to crack.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of crack
Verb
  • The source said the website was subsequently taken down after the project drew significant criticism inside Iran.
    — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The Palm Beach chapter, facing a storm of criticism, took down its Voters Guide Monday night.
    — Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of take down
Verb
  • Still, the channel has always proven to be resilient — a veritable phoenix that keeps rising stronger and ever more creative after world-shattering events such as 9/11, the SARS outbreak and the 2008 world financial crisis.
    — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Downtown Los Angeles broke a daily heat record Monday with the mercury reaching 104 degrees, shattering the previous record of 101 set in 1954 and tied in 1971.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of shatter
Noun
  • Gloria Steinem attributed her mother's nervous breakdown before she was born, and her treatment in mental institutions and the workforce thereafter, as key to her interest in social injustices.
    — Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2026
  • In 1944 her parents divorced, and 10-year-old Gloria was left to take care of her mother, a once-promising journalist who struggled to combine her work with running a household and who eventually suffered a nervous breakdown.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of nervous breakdown

Phrases Containing break down

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break bread
break down
breakdown
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Cite this Entry

“Break down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20down. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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