Breakdown — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /ˈbrāk-ˌdau̇n/ break·down

Meaning & Definition of Breakdown

Breakdown (noun)

  1. the action or result of breaking down
  2. a failure to function
  3. failure to progress or have effect, disintegration

Breakdown (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a mental or nervous collapse

    "if you don't ease your workload, you're going to have a breakdown"

    similar: crack-up, nervous breakdown, tailspin
    related: frazzle, freak-out, meltdown, alarm, anxiety, apprehension, disquiet, excitability, nervousness, disturbance, agitation, discomposure, perturbation, basket case
    near: aplomb, calmness, composure, coolness, imperturbability, placidity, self-possession, sereneness, serenity, tranquility, tranquilness

  2. the process by which dead organic matter separates into simpler substances

    "the breakdown of the body was arrested by the embalming process"

    similar: corruption, decay, decomposition, festering, putrefaction, putrescence, rot, spoilage
    related: crumbling, disintegration, dissolution, curdling, fermentation, moldering, souring
    near: growth, maturation, ripening

  3. the separation and identification of the parts of a whole

    "the boss wanted a detailed breakdown of the sales figures"

    similar: analysis, anatomizing, anatomy, assay, deconstruction, dissection
    related: assessment, diagnosis, evaluation, examination, inspection, investigation, muster, scrutiny, arrangement, assortment, cataloging, categorization, classification, codification, indexing, enumeration, inventory, itemization, tabulation, division, reduction, segmentation, separation, subdivision
    near: agglomeration, aggregation, amalgamation, assimilation, coalescence, conglomeration, consolidation, integration, synthesis, unification

Related Entry: Nervous breakdown (noun)

Nervous breakdown is a different word from Breakdown. The synonyms below are for nervous breakdown, not for breakdown.

  1. a mental or nervous collapse

    "you're going to have a nervous breakdown if you keep up that pace"

    similar: breakdown, crack-up, tailspin
    related: frazzle, freak-out, meltdown, alarm, anxiety, apprehension, disquiet, excitability, nervousness, disturbance, agitation, discomposure, perturbation, basket case
    near: aplomb, calmness, composure, coolness, imperturbability, placidity, self-possession, sereneness, serenity, tranquility, tranquilness

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Breakdown

The most common words with a similar meaning to Breakdown:

crack-up, nervous breakdown, tailspin, corruption, decay, decomposition, festering, putrefaction, putrescence, rot, spoilage, analysis, anatomizing, anatomy, assay, deconstruction, dissection

Related Words for Breakdown

frazzle, freak-out, meltdown, alarm, anxiety, apprehension, disquiet, excitability, nervousness, disturbance, agitation, discomposure, perturbation, basket case, crumbling, disintegration, dissolution, curdling, fermentation, moldering, souring, assessment, diagnosis, evaluation, examination, inspection, investigation, muster, scrutiny, arrangement

Near Antonyms of Breakdown

aplomb, calmness, composure, coolness, imperturbability, placidity, self-possession, sereneness, serenity, tranquility, tranquilness, growth, maturation, ripening, agglomeration, aggregation, amalgamation, assimilation, coalescence, conglomeration, consolidation, integration, synthesis, unification

Origin & Etymology of Breakdown

First known use: 1786

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Breakdown

Words & Phrases Containing Breakdown

breakdown lane, breakdown truck, nervous breakdown

Frequently Asked Questions about Breakdown

What does "Breakdown" mean?

"Breakdown" means the action or result of breaking down. As a noun, it is defined as: the action or result of breaking down. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Breakdown"?

Other words for "Breakdown" include crack-up, nervous breakdown, tailspin, corruption, decay, decomposition, festering and putrefaction. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Breakdown" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Breakdown"?

There are 62 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Breakdown". Common alternatives include crack-up, nervous breakdown, tailspin, corruption, decay, decomposition, festering, putrefaction, putrescence and rot.

How do you use "Breakdown" in a sentence?

Examples of "Breakdown" in a sentence: "if you don't ease your workload, you're going to have a breakdown"; "the breakdown of the body was arrested by the embalming process"; "the boss wanted a detailed breakdown of the sales figures".

Is "Breakdown" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Breakdown" is a noun.

Is "Breakdown" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Breakdown" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Breakdown"?

"Breakdown" is pronounced /ˈbrāk-ˌdau̇n/ and divided into syllables as break·down.

What is the origin of the word "Breakdown"?

First known use: 1786.