broken-down
Americanadjective
-
shattered or collapsed, as with age; infirm.
-
having given way with use or age; out of working order.
a broken-down chair.
adjective
-
worn out, as by age or long use; dilapidated
a broken-down fence
-
not in working order
a broken-down tractor
-
physically or mentally ill
Etymology
Origin of broken-down
First recorded in 1810–20
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But for Dreesen, this meant sleeping in a Nash Rambler, a broken-down car that was up on blocks, and hitchhiking up and down Sunset Boulevard hoping to get a five-minute set at the Comedy Store.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 18, 2026
A van driver who killed the passenger of a broken-down car on a smart motorway where the safety alert system was malfunctioning has been given a suspended sentence.
From BBC ● Apr. 24, 2026
A van driver who crashed into a broken-down car in a smart motorway's fast lane has been found guilty of causing death by careless driving.
From BBC ● Feb. 18, 2026
Nominated seven times for an Academy Award, Duvall won lead actor honors in 1983 for his role as Mac Sledge, a broken-down country singer in the film “Tender Mercies.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 16, 2026
Zed’s broken-down pickup truck towed an ancient camper.
From "Lawn Boy Returns" by Gary Paulsen
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
