break 1 of 2

verb

ˈbrāk How to pronounce break (audio)
Definition of breaknext
1
as in to disrupt
to cause to separate into pieces usually suddenly or forcibly hated telling her that I had broken her favorite glass vase

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2
as in to stop
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end the final vote broke the deadlock

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3
as in to reduce
to bring to a lower grade or rank the captain was broken to lieutenant commander for disobeying a direct order from his group commander

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4
as in to decipher
to change (as a secret message) from code into ordinary language Alan Turing and the Bletchley Park mathematicians broke the Enigma code being used by the Nazis

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5
as in to pause
to come to a temporary halt in one's activity she broke from her ruminations to find that it was already dinnertime

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6
as in to plow
to cut into and turn over the sod of (a piece of land) using a bladed implement farmers once broke fields with horse-drawn plows

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7
as in to violate
to fail to keep had to confess that he had broken his promise not to share their conversation with anyone

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8
as in to solve
to find an answer for through reasoning Professor Bates broke the problem when she realized that it was possible to synthesize the necessary compounds

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9
as in to damage
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of I broke a tooth on the hard candy

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10
as in to die
to stop functioning after working for 30 years, the pump simply broke one day

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11
as in to retreat
to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening the herd of gazelles broke when they saw the lions racing toward them from the ridge above

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12
as in to wear
to use up all the physical energy of the trek up the mountain just about broke me

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13
as in to circulate
to become known as soon as the scandal broke, the CEO fled the country

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14
as in to ruin
to cause to lose one's fortune and become unable to pay one's debts another bad investment could break him

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15
as in to begin
to come into existence the crisis had passed, and a new day was breaking

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16
as in to veer
to depart abruptly from a straight line or course the running back broke to his left before running out of bounds

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17
as in to depress
to diminish the price or value of distressing economic news that will break many energy stocks

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18
as in to exceed
to go beyond the limit of a menu with prices that is likely to break the budgets of all but the wealthiest of diners

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19
as in to surface
to penetrate the surface (as of water) from below dolphins were breaking all around the boat

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break

2 of 2

noun

1
as in pause
a momentary halt in an activity there was a brief break after the first movement as the doors to the concert hall were opened and the latecomers were allowed in

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2
as in vacation
a period during which the usual routine of school or work is suspended most of the students at the boarding school are going home for Christmas break

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3
as in gap
an open space in a barrier (as a wall or hedge) the rancher repaired the break in the fence where the horse had gotten through

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4
as in opportunity
a favorable combination of circumstances, time, and place in classic fashion, her big break came when, as an understudy, she took over for an ailing star

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5
as in accident
an unexpected benefit or advantage resulting from the uncertain course of events a guy who just seems to get all the breaks in life

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6
as in escape
the act or an instance of getting free from danger or confinement a desperate break from that hellhole

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of break
Verb
Immediately after the news broke, people began gathering in the square in front of the royal palace in Oslo, bringing flowers and rallying in memory of their king. — Stefania Conrieri, Vanity Fair, 28 Aug. 2026 Wilson estimates that the pulley system snapped and broke about 25 years ago. — Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 28 Aug. 2026
Noun
The Valkyries will head to Portland (15-23) on Sunday for their last game before the FIBA break and to close their five-game road trip. — Marisa Ingemi, Mercury News, 28 Aug. 2026 The pair were among the dozen films Parton appeared in over her career, a list that includes her 1980 break-out role in 9 to 5, as well as appearances in 1984’s Rhinestone with Sylvester Stallone and the 1992 talk radio comedy Straight Talk. — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for break
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break
  1. disrupt
  2. stop
  3. reduce
  4. decipher
  5. pause
  6. plow
  7. violate
  8. solve
Verb
  • Afternoon or evening exercise can improve strength, reduce stress, and lower injury risk, but intense sessions could disrupt sleep.
    — Health Editorial Team, HEALTH, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Changing weather patterns also disrupt plant biology, deplete water infrastructure, and increase operating costs.
    — Jonathan Destler, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of disrupt
Verb
  • And, there are lots of studies out there that show many in my generation have stopped believing in the promise of the American Dream.
    — Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2026
  • His government has implemented policies that slow energy permitting and development, canceled billions in grants for hundreds of clean energy projects and spent nearly $4 billion to buy back leases to stop offshore wind projects.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of stop
Verb
  • Its movements and squeaks change in response to the person interacting with it, giving caregivers another way to reduce distress and encourage engagement.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
  • For instance, a creditor might bid $35,000 for a $50,000 SUV, reducing the judgment by that amount, then sell it for $50,000, pocketing $15,000.
    — Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of reduce
Verb
  • And navigating a website might involve deciphering images or knowing what links to click.
    — Jennifer D. Kobrin, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The prevention of future pandemics relies on information from previous outbreaks, which is one reason why deciphering the origins of the COVID-19 began is important.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of decipher
Verb
  • The Mayor and City Council of Baltimore are seeking to pause an order requiring it to provide records in lawsuit with Inspector General while the city appeals.
    — Bridget Byrne, Baltimore Sun, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Most of the gains occurred during the initial stages of the health emergency when student loan payments were paused.
    — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of pause
Verb
  • His visit came after bulldozers started plowing through parts of the park in the far south of Texas, sparking widespread outrage.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Officials told Indian media outlets that whatever fell off the glacier may have dropped into a glacial lake and blocked a river, resulting in the massive wave of ice, water and debris that plowed through settlements nearby.
    — Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of plow
Verb
  • In its March 9 lawsuit, Anthropic alleged the government violated its right to free speech under the First Amendment to the Constitution by retaliating against its views on AI safety.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The administration is appealing a June ruling by a lower court that the ban probably violated the troops’ constitutional rights and cannot be enforced against those currently serving while the litigation continues.
    — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of violate
Verb
  • But Robert could help solve some of Toronto’s greatest issues.
    — Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • These layoffs are freeing up brilliant minds to solve real-world problems, creating new companies and an economy built on innovation beyond consumer apps.
    — Lisa Curtis, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of solve

Phrases Containing break

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breadths
break
breakable
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Cite this Entry

“Break.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on break

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about break

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