Master confusing words with ease
Breakdown vs. Break down
Breakdown
/ˈbreɪkdaʊn/Examples:
That's for nervous breakdowns, isn't it?""Owing to a breakdown, the train is unavoidably delayed.""But Neely, you can't sit here and—have a breakdown."
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Break down
/breɪk daʊn /Examples:
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Ways to tell them apart:
- Breakdown is a noun, often referring to a failure, as in the failure of a system or machine.
- Break down is a verb phrase, indicating the action of something failing or ceasing to function.
- Remember: the noun breakdown is one word, whereas the verb break down consists of two separate words.
- Think of breakdown as the result or condition, and break down as the action leading to it.
- Use break down when talking about something happening actively (verb) and breakdown for the result of such an action (noun).
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