breakdown
noun
Simple meaning
A failure, particularly one which is mechanical in nature.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
braykdownSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈbɹeɪkdaʊn
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
countable
A failure, particularly one which is mechanical in nature.
countable
Something, such as a vehicle, that has experienced a mechanical failure.
uncountable
Separation of a thing into components; decomposition, fragmentation; (countable) an instance of this.
uncountable
Detailed categorization, or itemization or listing, of the components of a thing; (countable) an instance of this.
figurativeuncountable
(Sudden) worsening of physical health or (more commonly) mental stability, resulting in an inability to carry on normal activities; (countable) an instance of this.
figurativecountable
A failure in a relationship; a failure or loss of organization in a system.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Frequency
- Common
- Typical Use
- Varies by meaning
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: A failure, particularly one which is mechanical in nature.
Used this way, breakdown is a specialist word with a clearly unfavourable pull. This is an engineering use: it is a working term used for accuracy on the job.
- Emotional tone
- Negative
- Formality
- Specialist/technical
- Intensity
- Moderate
- How common
- Specialized
- Connotation
- Serious and weighty
- Usage feel
- Clinical and detached
Where it naturally appears
- Technical/specialist writing
- Science
Usage note
In general conversation this sense usually needs explaining — outside its field, people reach for a plainer word.
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
A severe or incapacitating emotional disorder.
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.