Meaning trap
break down
lose emotional control
If someone breaks down, they suddenly become very upset and cannot control their feelings, often crying.
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
If someone breaks down, they suddenly become very upset and cannot control their feelings, often crying.
Another meaning of 'break down' is 'stop working'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
She broke down in tears when she heard the news.
When I failed the exam, I broke down because I had worked so hard for it.
Fix the pattern
One small grammar move makes it sound right.
Not: He broke down to cry.
Say: He broke down crying. / He broke down in tears.
Use 'break down crying / in tears', not 'break down to cry'.
Which sounds natural?
Tap the one a native speaker would say.
'Break down' is the natural verb for losing emotional control; the formal paraphrase is clinical and distant.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
break down + emotion
- in tears
- crying
- completely
- emotionally
Don't confuse it
Related
Other meanings and phrases to compare.
- break down (stop working) — Another meaning of 'break down' is 'stop working'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.