as in dilapidated
in a bad or weak condition because of being old, not well cared for, etc.
A broken-down car was blocking one of the lanes of the road. His body was now broken-down after many years of hard living.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in separated
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in cut
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 crashed
to stop functioning
the computer finally broke down and had to be replaced
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in cracked
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 taken down
to take apart
the crew was breaking down the party tent when we arrived
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in shattered
to cause to break with violence and much noise
firefighters had to break down the wall to rescue the kitten
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for broken-down
Adjective
-
City officials say failing lifeguard towers present two problems: Lifeguards could get injured inside a dilapidated structure, and the public could be at higher risk if lifeguards can’t effectively scan beaches and bays.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Apr. 2025 -
The film follows three characters – a traditional beekeeper, a healer and a priest attempting to save a dilapidated church – and features archival material dating back to the 1930s.—
Lise Pedersen,
Variety,
25 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Data held in qubits is affected by data held in other qubits, even when physically separated.—
Chuck Brooks,
Forbes,
24 Dec. 2024
-
The ingredients aren’t separated by recipe, which can make unpacking and prepping confusing.—
Sara Coughlin,
SELF,
23 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
The mom of one most notably cut her hair in January 2023, debuting a head-turning, blunt bob.—
Dayna Haffenden,
People.com,
5 Apr. 2025
-
Nissan reversed an earlier decision to cut production at a Tennesee plant to one shift from two.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
However, a weaker dollar, resulting from tariffs and other policies, makes that harder for exporters.—
Brendan Coffey,
Sportico.com,
4 Apr. 2025
-
After seven episodes of pained teeth-gritting and wide-eyed astonishment, he’s found closure in confronting the man who killed his father (or not) and finding only a weak old guy too sickly to punch.—
Eliana Dockterman,
Time,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Our recommendations are sorted by the best plans for older dogs, for puppies, for dogs with pre-existing conditions, for wellness plans and for households with multiple dogs.—
Liz Knueven,
CNBC,
30 Dec. 2024
-
Tap on any category to view emails sorted specifically for that section.—
Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report,
Fox News,
29 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
The coins were apparently stored in a leather pouch, which had disintegrated over time, and concealed within or behind a kitchen wall, according to the Jerusalem Post.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Jan. 2025
-
Roberto Mancini did make up with Carlos Tevez (or, at least, was willing to tolerate him) after their relationship at Manchester City appeared to have disintegrated.—
Daniel Taylor,
The Athletic,
29 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
The University of North Texas Health Science Center dissected, studied and leased out hundreds of unclaimed bodies.—
Anagilmara Vílchez,
NBC News,
19 Dec. 2024
-
To get robots to perform even relatively simple tasks, such as tying shoelaces, requires the labors of scientists who have dissected every step in the operation; trainers must then employ tedious repetition to program these steps.—
The New Yorker,
The New Yorker,
16 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
After a lifetime of making people laugh, Newhart died on July 18 at his home in Los Angeles.—
Rick Kogan,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Dec. 2024
-
Adams Earley died in 2002 at age 83 in Dayton.—
Laura A. Bischoff,
The Enquirer,
24 Dec. 2024
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Cite this Entry
“Broken-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/broken-down. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
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