meltdown

Examples

• All

• Keeping the country safe and helping prevent an even worse economic meltdown were considerable feats.

  Academic text (2012)

• Coffee suggests that the role of credit agencies in the meltdown might be a good place to start.

  Academic text (2009)

• Now due to the financial meltdown, those costs will come back down.

• The accident was getting better, not worse, but the communication meltdown continued.

• The same logic applied, he says, during the financial meltdown during his last months in office.

  Academic text (2011)

• Many days pass before the full extent of the meltdown surfaces.

  Academic text (2012)

• The Wall Street financial meltdown left the markets in turmoil.

  Academic text (2011)

• Declare that we're heading for a massive economic meltdown of historic proportions.

  ReasonTV

• More chaos, destruction, fear, and societal meltdown than you can shake a stick at.

  Blog text (3)

• The sudden meltdown of the company's management structure led to chaos and confusion among employees.

Synonyms

D

disaster

vsmeltdown

∞ 1.0

A sudden event that causes great damage, loss, or failure

is more catastrophic and implies a total, disastrous failure

C

collapse

vsmeltdown

350 4.1

A sudden failure, for example of a person or a building

is more extreme, indicating total and disastrous end rather than just falling down

C

catastrophe

vsmeltdown

176 7.0

A sudden terrible event that causes great damage and suffering

is narrower by emphasizing total failure and catastrophic finality

B

breakdown

vsmeltdown

79 4.4

A failure in a system or relationship that stops it working properly

is more sudden and disastrous, implying total catastrophic failure

D

debacle

vsmeltdown

75 8.5

A sudden complete failure that causes public embarrassment or big loss

is an abrupt failure that is even more catastrophic and total

C

calamity

vsmeltdown

49 6.7

A terrible event that causes much harm and suffering

is more extreme, stressing catastrophic and total failure rather than general harm

C

cataclysm

vsmeltdown

19 9.2

A sudden violent event that causes great destruction or change

is more about total failure of a system rather than wide societal upheaval

E

earthquake

vsmeltdown

18 4.6

A sudden major change that shocks and upsets a group or system

is more focused on catastrophic failure of something rather than broad disruption

I

implosion

vsmeltdown

14 7.6

A sudden inward collapse of a building or container from outside pressure

is similar but focuses more on total disastrous failure rather than inwardness

B

blooey

vsmeltdown

• Slang

1 9.9

A sudden break or failure that makes something stop working

is equally sudden but implies a more complete catastrophic end

C

complete and utter disaster

vsmeltdown

1 3.7

A situation that is a total failure causing big problems

is similar but stresses suddenness and total collapse rather than general failure

S

sudden breakdown

vsmeltdown

3.5

An unexpected failure of a machine that stops it working

is broader and more catastrophic, not limited to machinery

Antonyms

S

success

∞ 1.0

Getting what you want after working hard

S

stability

363 3.1

Being steady and not likely to change

Compounds

N

nuclear meltdown

• Specialized

5 7.2

A very dangerous accident in a nuclear power plant when the reactor gets too hot and releases radiation

How Severe

catastrophe

176 7.0

meltdown

95 5.8

crisis

∞ 3.1

setback

148 3.6

problem

∞ 1.2

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology