meltdown

meltdown
1 of 2
noun
melt·;down ;melt-;dau;n
Synonyms of meltdown
1
: the accidental melting of the core of a nuclear reactor
2
: a rapid or disastrous decline or collapse
3
: a breakdown of self-control (as from fatigue or overstimulation)
melt down

2 of 2
verb
melted down; melting down; melts down
intransitive verb

: to suffer a meltdown : collapse

Own your day with Now Brief
Stay a step ahead with daily briefings powered by Galaxy AI on Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.
Sponsored By Samsung
Learn more
Synonyms
Verb

break down
break up
crack
flip (out) [slang]
freak (out)
wig (out) [slang]
Examples of meltdown in a Sentence
Noun
fears that an accident could cause meltdown
a company experiencing financial meltdown
After a long day at the beach, our toddler had a major meltdown in the car on the way home.
Verb
rather than melt down, the team strengthened their resolve and ended up winning the game
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More
Noun
Organizing school emails, coordinating birthday parties, packing snacks and anticipating every potential meltdown became second nature.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 20 Mar. 2025
The pressure builds until Eddie has a meltdown in public, shaking and threatening the kids who defaced his car.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 17 Mar. 2025
Verb
As the caucus melts down internally over Schumer's decision, House Democratic leaders returned to the Capitol fired up Friday morning following their caucus retreat in Leesburg, Virginia this week.
—Lauren Peller, ABC News, 14 Mar. 2025
Jewelry has always been repurposed when times are hard; stones prised out and metals melted down for sale.
—Kate Matthams, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025

Tackle more tasks with one ask
Elevate your everyday with a true AI companion — the new Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.
Sponsored By Samsung
Learn more
Word History
First Known Use
Noun

1956, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1956, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of meltdown was in 1956
See more words from the same year