have a meltdown
Come emotionally apart
To have a meltdown is to lose emotional control, typically in a dramatic outburst of anger, frustration, or tears.
The phrase borrows from nuclear reactor failures, suggesting an overwhelming internal pressure that can't be contained: She had a complete meltdown when her flight was canceled.
Often used for children's tantrums but applies equally to adult breakdowns.
The phrase can also describe institutional collapse: The company had a meltdown after the scandal broke.
- tantrumUncontrolled display of frustration
- throw a fitDisplay intense angry outburst
- breakdownFailure or decomposition
- nervous breakdownAcute mental health crisis
- freakoutEpisode of losing control
snap · lose it · lose control · explode · go ballistic · cry · ugly cry · scream · sob · rage · overwhelmed · hysterical · nuclear · emotional · collapse · unravel · spiral · come apart at the seams
have a meltdownstay calm
Remain unruffled
keep one's cool · keep it together · keep one's head · hold it together · keep a stiff upper lip
have a meltdownhold it together
Maintain emotional stability
rise to the occasion · soldier on · power through · weather the storm · roll with the punches
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