intransitive phrasal verb used for reporting failure or describing analysis

to indicate that something has failed mechanically or emotionally, or to describe breaking something into smaller components

cars breaking down on the road, computers malfunctioning, people experiencing an emotional breakdown, data analysis processes failing

everyday conversation, technical troubleshooting, academic writing about systems, expressing personal emotional states

break down

break down

the car, the negotiation, the data, tears

• completely
• into smaller pieces
• communication broke down

• collapse
• disintegrate
• fail
• decompose
• analyze

using ‘break down’ intransitively when a direct object is required; confusing with related verbs like ‘break up’ or noun form ‘breakdown’

break up (end relationship), brake (vehicle)

“breakdown” is noun; verb is two words “break down”

• breakdown (noun)
• nervous breakdown

emotional breakdown conveys strong emotional collapse; machine breakdown implies routine mechanical failure; breakdown of talks signals communicative failure

signals seriousness and explanatory intent, often used to explain why something cannot proceed further

“My car broke down on the highway.”

Phrasal verb with multiple meanings depending on context, often requires specific prepositions to convey precise meaning. Can be separable when used transitively.

break down barriers