How to Use breakdown in a Sentence

breakdown

1 of 2 noun
  • Both sides are to blame for the breakdown in communication.
  • He suffered a breakdown after his wife died.
  • The irretrievable breakdown of a marriage can be grounds for divorce.
  • The factory has had frequent equipment breakdowns.
  • Check it out for the full breakdown.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 1 May 2026
  • The full breakdown can be seen here.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 1 Sep. 2025
  • Scroll down to see the full breakdown.
    — Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 15 Apr. 2026
  • Here's a breakdown of the terms.
    — Bebe Hodges, Cincinnati Enquirer, 23 Jan. 2026
  • Here’s a breakdown of how to achieve both.
    — Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 27 June 2026
  • Here’s a breakdown of the matchup.
    — Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
  • Here’s the full breakdown of the new prices.
    — Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Here’s a breakdown of each and how to use them.
    — Jasmin Suknanan, CNBC, 6 Apr. 2026
  • Here's the day-by-day breakdown.
    — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Here’s a step-by-step breakdown.
    — Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 13 May 2026
  • Scroll down to check out the full stage and set time breakdown.
    — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 17 Apr. 2025
  • There was one good night in my life that first year of breakdown.
    — P.e. Moskowitz september 11, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Check out the breakdown here of just how much those two things are linked.
    — Bill Landis, cleveland.com, 19 Feb. 2018
  • Scroll on for the step-by-step and a full video breakdown at the end.
    — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2026
  • Can’t see Hoyt’s video breakdown?
    — Joseph Hoyt, Dallas Morning News, 3 Mar. 2026
  • Here's a quick breakdown of what the June poll found.
    — Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 2 June 2026
  • Read on for a step-by-step breakdown of how to cut your own bangs at home.
    — Katie Berohn, Good Housekeeping, 26 June 2020
  • Read ahead for a full breakdown of what comes next for Charles.
    — Kelsie Gibson, Peoplemag, 8 Sep. 2022
  • The pit crew never skips the post-race breakdown.
    — Roy Ward, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
  • Here is a breakdown of the poll results.
    — Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2025
  • See the links for further breakdowns of each pick in the draft.
    — Marlowe Alter, Detroit Free Press, 23 June 2023
  • Kittle isn't wrong with his breakdown of the game.
    — Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
  • This is your one-stop shop for a breakdown of all the action.
    — Jim Reineking, USA TODAY, 18 Nov. 2019
  • Here is what to know about their latest breakdown.
    — Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2026
  • Here is a breakdown of what to expect and when the rain will end.
    — Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2023
  • Read below for the full breakdown of clues.
    — Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 4 Feb. 2026

break down

2 of 2 verb
  • This is where trust breaks down.
    — Gary Drenik, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
  • The kid just broke down and bawled.
    — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Oct. 2025
  • On the way, their car broke down.
    — Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
  • Let’s break down who won and why.
    — Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 5 Jan. 2026
  • Some guys got kind of broken down from it.
    — Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 7 June 2026
  • This lady just tried to break down my door.
    — Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
  • This kid has been broken down in past years.
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2026
  • This enzyme breaks down many drugs.
    — Merve Ceylan, Health, 20 Oct. 2025
  • What happens when a frog’s car breaks down?
    — Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 2 May 2026
  • But that process started to break down last year.
    — Huo Jingnan, NPR, 11 Apr. 2026
  • Even when plays broke down, the noise around wasn’t too much for him.
    — Cameron Teague Robinson, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Its fine bristles can help break down grime.
    — Asia London Palomba, The Spruce, 27 Feb. 2026
  • The results so far break down across three schools.
    — Cbs News Atlanta Digital Team, CBS News, 14 May 2026
  • But part of my mission is to break down that myth.
    — Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 27 Oct. 2025
  • Some take great pride in breaking down their method.
    — Snigdha Poonam, The Dial, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Let’s break down the entire field.
    — NBC news, 30 Apr. 2026
  • Read on to break down all the action from this week.
    — William Earl, Variety, 4 Jan. 2026
  • Fat takes longer to break down in your body than carbs or protein.
    — Perri O. Blumberg, Men's Health, 15 Mar. 2023
  • When lettuce is cut, torn, or bruised, its cell walls break down.
    — Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 30 May 2026
  • Nick Harris broke down all the moves.
    — Jim Barnes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 May 2026
  • Smith opened up about the details of that night and broke down in the process.
    — Jim Axelrod, CBS News, 13 Jan. 2024
  • If the car does break down, guide it off the road and turn the hazards on.
    — Christine Dempsey, courant.com, 23 Nov. 2021
  • Then at breakfast, Roberts broke down.
    — Laura Trujillo, USA Today, 21 Feb. 2026
  • Asphalt is broken down on both sides of the road.
    — Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 5 Apr. 2026
  • Gaby is trying her best to help break down her walls.
    — Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
  • The heat from a dryer breaks down fibers in fabric.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 June 2026
  • Your car can break down while driving to the airport.
    — Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 1 May 2026
  • Here’s how the top 10 broke down — and what put each state on the list.
    — Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 7 Feb. 2026
  • Too much supply and the market breaks down.
    — Alexa Lomonaco, CNBC, 15 May 2026
  • This allows the mixture to break down the rust.
    — Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 15 Mar. 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'breakdown.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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