# break down

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/break-down
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To give in or give up: relent, concede, surrender.

## Examples

- She refused to break down and admit she was wrong.
- After hours of negotiation, the company finally broke down and agreed to raise workers' pay.
- Surrounded by evidence he could not refute, the proud politician at last broke down and confessed to the scandal he had denied for months.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.