breakdown
Meaning(s)
1. no longer functioning properly, divide something into smaller parts or analyse it
Popularity
High
Professional
High
Social
How to Memorize
a nervous breakdown, a breakdown in communication, breakdown the facts
Analysis
A 'breakdown' refers to a situation where something is failing or starting to fail. When a machine or vehicle stops working it is also called a 'breakdown'. A severe deterioration in someone's mental health is also a 'breakdown'. A 'breakdown' may also be the way information is divided or arranged in different groups.
Social Examples (Basic)
- The car had to be towed to a repair shop because its engine had suffered a breakdown.
- The stressed employee was on the verge of a nervous breakdown, so he was given two weeks vacation to unwind.
- The doctor asked Janet to make an appointment with him so he could breakdown the facts of her condition. He hoped that by doing so he could help her to understand and cope with it better.
Professional Examples (Basic)
- There had been a breakdown in communication between the manager and his team, and so no one really knew what they were supposed to be doing on the project.
- Kate; do you mind giving me a breakdown of the sales data that has just come in? I don't have the time to go through it all myself.