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Definitions

nervous breakdown

NOUN
mental exhaustion
Synonyms
WEAK
burnout clinical depression collapse crack-up depression emotional collapse freak out mental collapse nervous exhaustion nervous prostration neurasthenia neurosis shattered nerves

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The court heard details of the defendant's mental health issues, including a nervous breakdown in the 1990s.

From BBC • Jan. 20, 2026

"We often wonder whether mum had a nervous breakdown during that time," she said.

From BBC • Mar. 2, 2025

Act Three offers a performance at a point when nervous tension, romantic fury and artistic demoralization bring the production to a nervous breakdown.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 10, 2025

In the mostly forgotten 1990 film "Crazy People," Dudley Moore's character, an advertising executive, has a nervous breakdown and starts creating brutally honest ads.

From Salon • Apr. 6, 2024

She was suffering from some kind of nervous breakdown.

From "Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures" by Kate DiCamillo