broke down

past tense of break down
1
2
3
4
as in died
to stop functioning the computer finally broke down and had to be replaced

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

5
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

6
7

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for broke down
Verb
  • And our findings have broader implications for how species are classified and protected under conservation laws.
    Andre A. Naranjo, The Conversation, 6 Jan. 2025
  • Arrest warrant questioned Many law experts question the validity of the warrant, which specified that certain key provisions of South Korea's Criminal Procedure Act should be excluded, which meant the police could search the military and government-classified presidential residence.
    Joohee Cho, ABC News, 5 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The researchers analyzed data from 340,000 Swedish people averaging 51 years of age whose BMI and waist circumference assessments were performed between 1981 and 2019, according to a press release.
    Melissa Rudy, Fox News, 25 Mar. 2025
  • The researchers analyzed data from children born between January 2014 and December 2020, who were born after at least 35 weeks of gestation without severe morbidity and had at least one follow-up surveillance visit at two to three years of age.
    Kevin Sabet, Newsweek, 24 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • An American Airlines employee has died following an accident on the tarmac in North Carolina.
    Angel Saunders, People.com, 28 Jan. 2025
  • At the time, Colorado had recorded 25 cases, including seven infants who were stillborn or died within months of birth from complications of the infection, and Herlihy said that the state could have more than 100 cases if nothing changed.
    Meg Wingerter, The Denver Post, 28 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The premier Copley Cup — which for decades drew the nation’s elite men’s varsity eights for an early-season east/west showdown – has disintegrated into an alumni race.
    Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Mar. 2025
  • The second phase was meant to pave the way to an end to the war, although the truce disintegrated when Israeli forces resumed airstrikes on Gaza.
    Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Sometimes the internal organs are inspected in situ, but more typically they are removed, washed down, and dissected on a water table.
    Samuel Ashworth, The Atlantic, 20 Mar. 2025
  • Each release became an event; her every move was dissected by social media.
    Kristen S. Hé, Vulture, 19 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The judge also denied the city’s request for a default judgment after the defendants failed to appear in court.
    Samantha Moilanen, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2025
  • However, that deal got nixed because the Lakers failed Williams’ physical, creating an awkward situation.
    Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Letters from Democrats in both chambers this week have asked why DHS dismantled a national database used to track domestic terrorism and hate crimes.
    Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Many of the encampments at colleges across Chicago were eventually dismantled by police, leaving lawn chairs and colorful student artwork dotting the muddy grass of campus quads.
    Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Beyond these achievements, Alex distinguished himself through his partnership with the administration.
    Olivia Antigua, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • That’s an issue because while both hemp and marijuana are cannabis plants, distinguished only by their cannabinoid content, they are regulated differently.
    Tiney Ricciardi, The Denver Post, 13 Mar. 2025
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Broke down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/broke%20down. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

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