the act of disrupting an established order so it fails to continue
"the social dislocations resulting from government policies"
"his warning came after the breakdown of talks in London"
(biology) the process of decay caused by bacterial or fungal action
"The fallen log showed clear signs of breakdown as fungi and bacteria consumed its organic matter."
an analysis into mutually exclusive categories
"The report presents a breakdown of voter demographics by age group and political affiliation."
A failure, particularly mechanical; something that has failed
"The car broke down on the highway due to a flat tire."
In plain English: A breakdown is when something stops working completely and can no longer function properly.
"The car suffered a complete breakdown on the highway during rush hour."
Usage: Use this noun to describe a sudden mechanical or systemic failure where parts stop functioning properly. It is often confused with the verb phrase "breaking down," which refers to the process of disassembling an object rather than its malfunctioning state.
The word breakdown is a verb formed directly from combining break and down. It entered English as a compound phrase describing the act of failing or collapsing under pressure before eventually becoming a standard noun for such an event.