Phrase guide

melt down

verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To melt fully, especially metal or glass so that it can be remade into something else.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To lose structure by being heated to a molten state.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • The reactor core melted down.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To have a breakdown; to collapse or fail utterly.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively, intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

reduce or cause to be reduced from a solid to a liquid state, usually by heating

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • melt butter
  • melt down gold
  • The wax melted in the sun

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: melt, run

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: dissolve, resolve, break up

Narrower terms: fuse, try, render

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

14 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Polish: przetapiać — (transitive) to melt fully
  • Polish: przetopić — (transitive) to melt fully
  • Russian: расплавля́ть (rasplavljátʹ) — (transitive) to melt fully
  • Russian: распла́вить (rasplávitʹ) — (transitive) to melt fully
  • Russian: переплавля́ть (pereplavljátʹ) — (transitive) to melt fully
  • Russian: перепла́вить (pereplávitʹ) — (transitive) to melt fully
  • Ukrainian: розплавля́ти (rozplavljáty) — (transitive) to melt fully
  • Ukrainian: розпла́вити (rozplávyty) — (transitive) to melt fully
  • Ukrainian: переплавля́ти (pereplavljáty) — (transitive) to melt fully
  • Ukrainian: перепла́вити (pereplávyty) — (transitive) to melt fully
  • Russian: расплавля́ться (rasplavljátʹsja) — (intransitive) to lose structure by being heated to a molten state
  • Russian: распла́виться (rasplávitʹsja) — (intransitive) to lose structure by being heated to a molten state
  • Ukrainian: розплавля́тися (rozplavljátysja) — (intransitive) to lose structure by being heated to a molten state
  • Ukrainian: розпла́витися (rozplávytysja) — (intransitive) to lose structure by being heated to a molten state