1
as in ranks
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in decomposes
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 analyzes
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 dies
to stop functioning
the computer finally broke down and had to be replaced
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in melts down
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 takes down
to take apart
the crew was breaking down the party tent when we arrived
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in shatters
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 breaks down
Verb
-
This article was generated by the Kansas City Star Bot, artificial intelligence software that analyzes structured information from TomTom and applies it to templates created by journalists in the newsroom.—
Kansas City Star Bot,
Kansas City Star,
14 Mar. 2025 -
This article was generated by software that analyzes National Weather Service warnings and advisories and creates an article based on templates created by humans.—
Southern California Weather Report,
Orange County Register,
13 Mar. 2025
Verb
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When an individual dies, the body starts naturally decomposing almost immediately.—
Vanessa Etienne,
People.com,
28 Feb. 2025
-
And when a spouse dies, the surviving spouse at full retirement age can claim 100% of their spouse’s benefits — now, even if the surviving spouse has their own government pension.—
Kamaron McNair,
CNBC,
27 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Similarly, the International Monetary Fund classifies the positions expressed by member states during board meetings for up to seven years.—
Allison Carnegie,
Foreign Affairs,
24 Dec. 2024
-
The government typically classifies border protection, medical care, air traffic control, law enforcement, and power grid maintenance as essential.—
Brady Knox,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
19 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
This technique relies on the fact that naturally occurring uranium decays over long but well-known periods of time to eventually transform into lead.—
Briana Pobiner,
The Conversation,
11 Apr. 2025
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Because plutonium-238 decays slowly, losing only half its atoms over about 90 years, an RTG is ideal for missions that outlast the life span of typical batteries, fuel cells, or solar panels.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Apr. 2025
Verb
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All three would probably be gone if the club fails to reach the top four.—
Manuel Veth,
Forbes,
15 Mar. 2025
-
If all of that fails to convert anyone into a Gene Kloss fan, lastly, there’s this.—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes,
15 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Double plating distinguishes a special dish.—
Lisa Shames,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2025
-
Every year the prize distinguishes one laureate among four French artists or artists living in France and working in plastic or visual arts including installation, video, painting, photography, sculpture or performance.—
Lee Sharrock,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
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But that’s not true of the Echo Show, which smartly relegates the screen to secondary importance.—
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy,
The Verge,
22 Nov. 2024
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The move relegates Miller Moss to a reserve role after nine uneven starts this season.—
Houston Mitchell,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Nov. 2024
Verb
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On the ground, there’s a war of grappling, chokes, and limb breaks, and Oliveira is one of the best to ever fight it.—
Jack Crosbie,
Rolling Stone,
14 Jan. 2025
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Broken baggage chokes landfills and decomposes at a glacial pace.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes,
28 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Breaks down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breaks%20down. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.
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