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
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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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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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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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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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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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of break down
Annie Waldman, CNN, 14 Dec. 2024
Gates is known for his ability to break down complex ideas into simple, relatable messages that resonate with diverse audiences.
—Chiara Alzati, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024
Samantha Riedel, Them, 12 Dec. 2024
Multiple sclerosis causes a breakdown of the protective covering of nerves, according to the Mayo Clinic.
—Wendy Grossman Kantor, People.com, 10 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for break down 
Verb
For more than 33 hours a week in the specialized therapy, his clinicians broke down the learning process into basic steps, using repetition and positive reinforcement to affirm behaviors.
—Annie Waldman, CNN, 14 Dec. 2024
Gates is known for his ability to break down complex ideas into simple, relatable messages that resonate with diverse audiences.
—Chiara Alzati, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024
Noun
Trump's Staff and Cabinet Picks Are Shaping Up to Be a Who's Who of Anti-LGBTQ+ Extremists
From Matt Gaetz to Marco Rubio, here's a breakdown of their anti-LGBTQ+ records.
—Samantha Riedel, Them, 12 Dec. 2024
Multiple sclerosis causes a breakdown of the protective covering of nerves, according to the Mayo Clinic.
—Wendy Grossman Kantor, People.com, 10 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for break down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break down
Verb
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According to the British Broadcasting Corporation, the names of defendants and almost all case records are classified.Leon Aron, The Atlantic, 5 Dec. 2024
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Several studies have even been conducted around their old blocks and their wines are classified as some of the most peppery in the world.Elycia Rubin, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Food that ends up in landfills decomposes anaerobically and gives off methane–which over the 20 years after its release is more than 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide in warming our climate.Marianne Krasny, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024
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Additionally, aluminum doesn't decompose in landfills, contributing to long-term environmental pollution.Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 1 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Collecting and organizing this data is just the start of the challenge; the real challenge is finding the time, opportunity, and tools for instructors to analyze this data to produce better student outcomes.Ray Ravaglia, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
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For a study published in the journal Antiquity, researchers analyzed more than 3,000 bones and bone fragments attributed to dozens of individuals from the Early Bronze Age site of Charterhouse Warren in southwest England.Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Two members of the Secret Service died in the attacks.Eileen Sullivan, New York Times, 6 Dec. 2024
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Her sister Lauren Bessette, 34, and husband John F. Kennedy Jr., 38, also died in the crash.Catherine Santino, People.com, 5 Dec. 2024
Verb
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And one of two of our parents knows exactly how to crack open that wound.Daniel D'Addario, Variety, 9 Dec. 2024
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If not, there will be another opportunity to crack the puzzle on Monday.Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 8 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Can Miami of Ohio take down rival Ohio for the second time in 2024 to win the MAC conference championship?Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2024
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UnitedHealth took down its webpage which linked to photos and information about its top executives.Bertha Coombs,Dan Mangan, CNBC, 6 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The star, who suffered a horrific snowplow accident on New Year’s Day nearly two years ago that shattered 38 bones, discussed his career and more in a wide-ranging on-stage appearance at Culture Square in the second-largest Saudi city’s old town Al-Balad.Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Dec. 2024
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The numbers exploded from the jump and never relented, with world records shattering one after the other.Josh Condon, Robb Report, 8 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The entire affair smelled like a quasi-constitutional coup attempt authored by a desperate head of state whose intensive bickering with the National Assembly over everything from budgets to investigations had induced a nervous breakdown.Daniel R. DePetris, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024
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One Fort Lauderdale women’s book club member said at a recent meeting that the entire group described itself as having a collective nervous breakdown due to election stress.Shira Moolten, Sun Sentinel, 2 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near break down
Cite this Entry
“Break down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20down. Accessed 19 Dec. 2024.
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