breakdown meaning and definition

BREAKDOWN noun

Definition of breakdown (noun)

1. 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"
   • synonyms: dislocation
2. a mental or physical breakdown
   • synonyms: crack-up
3. a cessation of normal operation
   • "there was a power breakdown"
   • synonyms: equipment failure
4. an analysis into mutually exclusive categories
   • synonyms: partitioning