breakdown
Americannoun
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a breaking down, wearing out, or sudden loss of ability to function efficiently, as of a machine.
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a loss of mental or physical health; collapse.
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an analysis or classification of something; division into parts, categories, processes, etc.
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Chemistry.
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Electricity. an electric discharge passing through faulty insulation or other material used to separate circuits or passing between electrodes in a vacuum or gas-filled tube.
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a noisy, lively folk dance.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of breakdown
First recorded in 1825–35; noun use of verb phrase break down
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.
President Hoover warned that the lawlessness “indicated a complete breakdown in Government.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 19, 2026
“Assuming no breakdown of the deal and a renewed surge in oil prices, U.S. headline inflation is likely to have peaked in May,” said Simon MacAdam, deputy chief global economist at Capital Economics.
From Barron's • Jun. 16, 2026
More importantly, the researchers identified the key process responsible for the breakdown.
From Science Daily • Jun. 16, 2026
This makes it difficult to calculate how much each World Cup player is getting paid during the tournament, as the exact disbursement breakdown for all 48 soccer federations is not fully known.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 12, 2026
And then he has another breakdown, again after an ill-advised trip to Arles.
From "Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers" by Deborah Heiligman
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.
