nervous breakdown
noun
: an attack of mental or emotional disorder especially when of sufficient severity to require hospitalization
Examples of nervous breakdown in a Sentence
She had a nervous breakdown shortly after her sister's death.
He is on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
Recent Examples on the Web
The actress takes readers along on her rise to stardom, including her Academy Award-winning role in Ghost, and through some of the more difficult moments she’s faced, including her mother’s nervous breakdown, and Goldberg's experience with drug use.
—
Carly Tagen-Dye, Peoplemag, 7 May 2024
Adulthood comes in the form of flatscreen TVs and public nervous breakdowns.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 2 May 2024
That led to post-traumatic stress disorder for Komitas, who while living in Constantinople (now Istanbul) was deported to Anatolia and brutalized by a guard before being released, then eventually suffered a nervous breakdown.
—Hugh Morris, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2024
Here, the Crandell mom (comedian Ms. Pat) is portrayed as an overworked, stressed out businesswoman who has a nervous breakdown when she’s passed over for a promotion at work.
—Eric Andersson, Peoplemag, 13 Apr. 2024
When mom has a nervous breakdown at work and goes to Thailand for a meditation retreat, Tanya Crandell (Simone Joy Jones) and her siblings find themselves in the care of a babysitter, the stern and elderly Mrs. Sturak (Oscar nominee June Squibb).
—Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 26 Mar. 2024
Broke and suffering a nervous breakdown, the title character moves in with her sister (Sally Hawkins) and blows up her life, too, affecting relationships and finally ending up with the only person who'll deal with her.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2024
My adult son suffered a nervous breakdown a couple of years ago.
—Jeanne Phillips, The Mercury News, 1 Feb. 2024
The part of Elena, a despot on the verge of a nervous breakdown, is a departure for Winslet, who has chosen, over the course of her career, a wide range of characters who have in common an intrinsic power.
—Susan Dominus, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2024
Carly Tagen-Dye, Peoplemag, 7 May 2024
Adulthood comes in the form of flatscreen TVs and public nervous breakdowns.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 2 May 2024
That led to post-traumatic stress disorder for Komitas, who while living in Constantinople (now Istanbul) was deported to Anatolia and brutalized by a guard before being released, then eventually suffered a nervous breakdown.
—Hugh Morris, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2024
Here, the Crandell mom (comedian Ms. Pat) is portrayed as an overworked, stressed out businesswoman who has a nervous breakdown when she’s passed over for a promotion at work.
—Eric Andersson, Peoplemag, 13 Apr. 2024
When mom has a nervous breakdown at work and goes to Thailand for a meditation retreat, Tanya Crandell (Simone Joy Jones) and her siblings find themselves in the care of a babysitter, the stern and elderly Mrs. Sturak (Oscar nominee June Squibb).
—Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 26 Mar. 2024
Broke and suffering a nervous breakdown, the title character moves in with her sister (Sally Hawkins) and blows up her life, too, affecting relationships and finally ending up with the only person who'll deal with her.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2024
My adult son suffered a nervous breakdown a couple of years ago.
—Jeanne Phillips, The Mercury News, 1 Feb. 2024
The part of Elena, a despot on the verge of a nervous breakdown, is a departure for Winslet, who has chosen, over the course of her career, a wide range of characters who have in common an intrinsic power.
—Susan Dominus, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nervous breakdown.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Nervous breakdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nervous%20breakdown. Accessed 14 May. 2024.
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