melt·down
ˈmelt-ˌdau̇n 
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)
Synonyms
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
Laura Lu, Parents, 5 Apr. 2024
DiCaprio’s character, the actor Rick Darlton, has an over-the-top meltdown over forgetting his lines and trashes his trailer in a fit of rage.
—Zack Sharf, Variety, 5 Apr. 2024
After a few chords, Cuoco noticed that Matilda's meltdown subsided.
—Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 30 Mar. 2024
One spent some time in the fallout zone around the nuclear power plant in Chernobyl following the plant’s deadly 1986 meltdown.
—David Axe, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
Years of executive reshuffles and acquisition rumors culminated in a very public meltdown earlier this month, when the company closed all its retail locations and abruptly laid off most of its workforce.
—Jasmine Li, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2024
The continent is balancing on the edge of a meltdown—both literal and figurative.
—Elizabeth Buchanan, Foreign Affairs, 18 Mar. 2024
It was born of a frustration with the stewards of the world economy and the behavior of large banks and financial institutions, whose reckless financial engineering set the stage for the meltdown.
—Joel Khalili, WIRED, 12 Mar. 2024
Ukraine is home to history’s biggest nuclear-power disaster, the 1986 meltdown at Chernobyl under the Soviet Union that rendered more than 1,000 square miles uninhabitable.
—Jonathan Tirone, Bloomberg.com, 8 Mar. 2024
Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024
Naismith suspects the silver was first contained in objects held by the upper class, melted down when economic times got tough.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 8 Apr. 2024
While that was happening, the 21-year old Kostyuk appeared to be melting down.
—Ivan Carter, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2024
Water from the dam’s reservoir had been used to cool the reactors, which now could overheat and melt down if turned on.
—Richard Engel, NBC News, 22 Feb. 2024
These implements were possibly melted down and traded.
—Chris Baraniuk, WIRED, 20 Feb. 2024
Suzie, who is also navigating a custody battle and occasionally using recreational drugs, melts down, and Piper viscerally conveys the sensation of feeling one’s life come undone.
—Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024
The move followed a series of mishaps led by human errors at the plant, where three nuclear reactors melted down after the massive 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
—Mari Yamaguchi, Quartz, 21 Feb. 2024
The intense heat then melts down the mud, which separates into liquid metal oxides.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 7 Feb. 2024
Noun
The tasty shakes come in four flavors—vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and fruity cereal—and have prevented many a backseat meltdown.
—Laura Lu, Parents, 5 Apr. 2024
DiCaprio’s character, the actor Rick Darlton, has an over-the-top meltdown over forgetting his lines and trashes his trailer in a fit of rage.
—Zack Sharf, Variety, 5 Apr. 2024
After a few chords, Cuoco noticed that Matilda's meltdown subsided.
—Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 30 Mar. 2024
One spent some time in the fallout zone around the nuclear power plant in Chernobyl following the plant’s deadly 1986 meltdown.
—David Axe, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
Years of executive reshuffles and acquisition rumors culminated in a very public meltdown earlier this month, when the company closed all its retail locations and abruptly laid off most of its workforce.
—Jasmine Li, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2024
The continent is balancing on the edge of a meltdown—both literal and figurative.
—Elizabeth Buchanan, Foreign Affairs, 18 Mar. 2024
It was born of a frustration with the stewards of the world economy and the behavior of large banks and financial institutions, whose reckless financial engineering set the stage for the meltdown.
—Joel Khalili, WIRED, 12 Mar. 2024
Ukraine is home to history’s biggest nuclear-power disaster, the 1986 meltdown at Chernobyl under the Soviet Union that rendered more than 1,000 square miles uninhabitable.
—Jonathan Tirone, Bloomberg.com, 8 Mar. 2024
Verb
Repaired, he was soon returned to his post, only to disappear again, rumored to have been in the basement across the street in the Otis Art Institute, where he was eventually melted down.
—Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024
Naismith suspects the silver was first contained in objects held by the upper class, melted down when economic times got tough.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 8 Apr. 2024
While that was happening, the 21-year old Kostyuk appeared to be melting down.
—Ivan Carter, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2024
Water from the dam’s reservoir had been used to cool the reactors, which now could overheat and melt down if turned on.
—Richard Engel, NBC News, 22 Feb. 2024
These implements were possibly melted down and traded.
—Chris Baraniuk, WIRED, 20 Feb. 2024
Suzie, who is also navigating a custody battle and occasionally using recreational drugs, melts down, and Piper viscerally conveys the sensation of feeling one’s life come undone.
—Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024
The move followed a series of mishaps led by human errors at the plant, where three nuclear reactors melted down after the massive 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
—Mari Yamaguchi, Quartz, 21 Feb. 2024
The intense heat then melts down the mud, which separates into liquid metal oxides.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 7 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'meltdown.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near meltdown
Cite this Entry
“Meltdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meltdown. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
meltdown
noun
melt·down
ˈmelt-ˌdau̇n
1
: the accidental melting of the core of a nuclear reactor
2
: a rapid or disastrous decline or collapse
a financial meltdown
3
: a breakdown of self-control (as from fatigue or overstimulation)
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