breastwork

noun

breast·​work ˈbrest-ˌwərk 

: a temporary fortification

Examples of breastwork in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The infantrymen around him peeped painfully over the heap of dirt that substituted for a breastwork. — Literary Hub, 9 Jan. 2026

More than a third of the 650-member force fell dead or wounded taking the Confederate breastworks. — Bill Steiden, Des Moines Register, 24 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1633, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for breastwork

• artwork
• beadwork
• berserk
• brickwork
• brushwork
• casework
• classwork
• clockwork
• coursework
• ductwork
• earthwork
• falsework

Kids Definition

breastwork

noun

breast·​work ˈbrest-ˌwərk 

: a wall thrown together to serve as a defense in battle