BROKE DOWN Synonyms: 226 Similar and Opposite Words

broke down

verb

past tense of break down

as in classified

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

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as in decomposed

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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as in analyzed

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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as in died

to stop functioning the computer finally broke down and had to be replaced

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started (up)

as in melted down

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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as in knocked down

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

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as in shattered

to cause to break with violence and much noise firefighters had to break down the wall to rescue the kitten

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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 broke down Making the situation even more difficult, a drainage pump broke down, said fellow diver Yoshitaka Isaji of Japan. —

Jintamas Saksornchai, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2026 The study scientists believe that when the sunlight hit the mixture, chlorine formed and broke down some of the methane produced by the eruption. —

Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 30 May 2026 The one where Hamlin and Kyle Busch were teammates and yet were battling each other for the lead on the final few laps after all the other cars broke down? —

Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 24 May 2026 Dalheimer's colleague, Joseph Balagtas, a professor in agricultural economics at Purdue, broke down the potential cost savings even if grocers passed 100% of the rules-change savings to consumers. —

Betty Lin-Fisher, USA Today, 23 May 2026 Solid footwork and quick hands easily broke down Gualtieri’s guard and that was all Jones needed to figure out a way to finish him. —

Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 23 May 2026 The 6-foot-5, 200-pounder scrambled on many occasions as protection broke down. —

Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 May 2026 Saturday after ongoing contract negotiations between workers and the MTA broke down and 3,500 railroad employees walked off the job. —

Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 16 May 2026 Three others broke down after rendering the guilty verdict. —

Amy Driscoll, Miami Herald, 3 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for broke down

Verb

Chlorine gas is poisonous and classified as a pulmonary irritant that has a distinct odor.

— Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026
Interestingly, depending on the data provider, the stock is often classified as either an industrial or a technology/software company.

— Frank Cappelleri, CNBC, 3 June 2026