break down
Third Person
breaks down
Present Participle
breaking down
Past Tense
broke down
Past Participle
broken down
1
(of a machine or vehicle) to stop working as a result of a malfunction
- The machinery broke down during the production process, leading to delays.
- The old refrigerator broke down, and we had to replace it.
- The printer suddenly broke down, causing a delay in printing documents.
- The car broke down on the highway due to engine trouble.
- The lawnmower broke down in the middle of mowing the lawn.
2
to lose control and start crying
- The news of the loss caused her to break down in sorrow.
- Witnessing the accident caused the bystander to break down.
- After the intense situation, he broke down and couldn't stop crying.
- The realization of the loss hit her, and she broke down in uncontrollable sobs.
- The memories of the traumatic event caused her to break down unexpectedly.
3
to make something crumble and fall apart
- The workers broke down the old building for renovation.
- The earthquake caused the old bridge to break down.
- The weight of the snow caused the roof to break down under the pressure.
- The wrecking ball was used to break the old factory down.
4
(of a relationship, negotiation, etc.) to fail to function properly
- The negotiations broke down after hours of intense debate.
- The relationship broke down under the pressure of constant arguments.
- The trust between the two friends broke down after one of them betrayed a confidence.
- Their marriage began to break down after years of constant arguments and misunderstandings.
- The communication between the team members broke down, affecting their productivity.
5
to lose control or suddenly collapse due to overwhelming emotions, exhaustion, or physical strain
- The athlete broke down after running a marathon.
- Witnessing the accident was too much for her, and she broke down, fainting at the scene.
- The passenger on the crowded train broke down due to a combination of heat and lack of air.
- The hiker, exhausted and dehydrated, eventually broke down and passed out on the trail.
- The emotional strain caused him to break down in the middle of the meeting.
6
to destroy a barrier by force
- The demolition crew used explosives to break down the old factory's entrance.
- In some situations, firefighters use an axe to break down doors during rescues.
- The team had to break down the entrance quickly to respond to the emergency.
- In emergency situations, it's common to break the door down for quick access.
- The burglars attempted to break the vault door down but were caught in the act.
Synonyms:
7
(in mathematics, chemistry, or grammar) to break into smaller parts or components, especially for a detailed analysis or examination
- Can you break the complex process down for better understanding?
- The researcher broke the theory down into its fundamental principles.
- The scientist broke the experiment down into key variables.
- The complex equation seemed daunting at first, but as I studied it, I began to break it down into manageable steps.
- The researcher is breaking down the survey results for analysis.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
8
to turn a substance into smaller components through chemical reactions
- The chemical reaction will break down the pollutant into safer components.
- The heat from the reaction helps break down the complex molecules.
- Overexposure to sunlight can break down certain chemicals in paint.
- Bacteria in the compost pile break down organic waste into compost.
- You can break the organic material down into its elemental components.
9
to process food in the digestive system and transform it into nutrients
- The digestive enzymes help break proteins down into amino acids.
- He can't break down lactose, so he avoids dairy products.
- The stomach acid helps to break down food into smaller particles.
- The enzymes in saliva begin to break down carbohydrates in the mouth.
- The intestines further break down food and absorb nutrients.