melt·down
ˈmelt-ˌdau̇n 
1
: the accidental melting of the core of a nuclear reactor
2
: a rapid or disastrous decline or collapse
3
: a breakdown of self-control (as from fatigue or overstimulation)
Synonyms
Examples of meltdown in a Sentence
Noun
fears that an accident could cause meltdown
a company experiencing financial meltdown
After a long day at the beach, our toddler had a major meltdown in the car on the way home.
Verb
rather than melt down, the team strengthened their resolve and ended up winning the game
Recent Examples on the Web
Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
Jimmy Kimmel used his final show before the election to make an impassioned plea to get rid of Donald Trump, while others mocked the Republican candidate’s recent meltdown over a microphone during one his rallies.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 5 Nov. 2024
Amy Feldman, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024
On March 28, 1979, the Unit 2 reactor core at the Three Mile Island plant partially melted down when equipment malfunctions, compounded by human operator errors, caused a water pump failure that resulted in a loss of coolant to the reactor, according to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for meltdown 
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.
Noun
Donald Trump’s stunning victory Tuesday either sent Kamala Harris’s celebrity supporters into social media meltdowns or left them trying to articulate their grief and disbelief.
—Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
Jimmy Kimmel used his final show before the election to make an impassioned plea to get rid of Donald Trump, while others mocked the Republican candidate’s recent meltdown over a microphone during one his rallies.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
It’s been 45 years since a nuclear reactor Three Mile Island near Middletown, Pennsylvania, melted down in what was the most serious accident in U.S. commercial nuclear plant operating history.
—Amy Feldman, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024
On March 28, 1979, the Unit 2 reactor core at the Three Mile Island plant partially melted down when equipment malfunctions, compounded by human operator errors, caused a water pump failure that resulted in a loss of coolant to the reactor, according to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for meltdown
Dictionary Entries Near meltdown
Cite this Entry
“Meltdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meltdown. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
meltdown
noun
melt·down
ˈmelt-ˌdau̇n
1
: the accidental melting of the core of a nuclear reactor
2
: a rapid or disastrous decline or collapse
a financial meltdown
3
: a breakdown of self-control (as from fatigue or overstimulation)
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share