Synonyms of break
-
as in to disrupt
-
as in to stop
-
as in to reduce
-
as in to decipher
-
as in to pause
-
as in to plow
-
as in to violate
-
as in to solve
-
as in to damage
-
as in to die
-
as in to retreat
-
as in to wear
-
as in to circulate
-
as in to ruin
-
as in to begin
-
as in to veer
-
as in to depress
-
as in to exceed
-
as in to surface
-
as in pause
-
as in vacation
-
as in gap
-
as in opportunity
-
as in accident
-
as in escape
-
Example Sentences
-
Phrases Containing
-
Entries Near
-
Related Articles
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to stop
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end
the final vote broke the deadlock
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
9
as in to damage
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of
I broke a tooth on the hard candy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
10
as in to die
to stop functioning
after working for 30 years, the pump simply broke one day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
12
as in to wear
to use up all the physical energy of
the trek up the mountain just about broke me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
13
as in to circulate
to become known
as soon as the scandal broke, the CEO fled the country
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
14
15
as in to begin
to come into existence
the crisis had passed, and a new day was breaking
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
17
as in to depress
to diminish the price or value of
distressing economic news that will break many energy stocks
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in escape
the act or an instance of getting free from danger or confinement
a desperate break from that hellhole
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
Glimmers of light broke the fog.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 6 Apr. 2026
Paul Wachtel, The Conversation, 31 Mar. 2026
Chavez's union helped transform conditions for farmworkers – including higher pay, work breaks, and even bathrooms, which weren't guaranteed in the fields.
—Kerry Klein, NPR, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break
Verb
And a campaign pro is going to break the law by offering cash or groceries to a noncitizen for her vote?
—Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
Glimmers of light broke the fog.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 6 Apr. 2026
Noun
Beginning in 1994, under Alan Greenspan, the Fed started publicly announcing its interest rate decisions, a major break from earlier practice when markets had to infer policy changes.
—Paul Wachtel, The Conversation, 31 Mar. 2026
Chavez's union helped transform conditions for farmworkers – including higher pay, work breaks, and even bathrooms, which weren't guaranteed in the fields.
—Kerry Klein, NPR, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break
Verb
-
The vaccination campaign for measles was disrupted during Bangladesh's recent political upheavals.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
For one project, Cohen tried to disrupt a protein associated with insulin resistance and diabetes.—
Dhruv Khullar,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Asking the engineers to stop designing a firing squad chamber for the state of Idaho to execute death-row prisoners.—
Sally Krutzig,
Idaho Statesman,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The Yankees went a perfect 5-for-5 with ABS challenges in Monday’s 2-1 walk-off loss to the Mariners, but that didn’t stop Boone and company from barking at home plate umpire Mike Estabrook.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Global oil supply has reduced by 13%, according to the IMF, while severe damage has been done to other critical supply chains.—
Joseph Wilkins,
CNBC,
7 Apr. 2026
-
But government hunting programs and other efforts to reduce their numbers as the human population grew led to the local extinction, or extirpation, of the animals from California more than a century ago.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Players will have to decipher a puzzle with clues from another player.—
Gieson Cacho,
Mercury News,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The clicks are part of a growing sperm whale phonetic alphabet that researchers at CETI are deciphering.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Defendants who are found to be mentally incompetent cannot be tried for crimes — rather, their criminal prosecutions are paused while defendants go through treatment aimed at restoring them to competency.—
Shelly Bradbury,
Denver Post,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Some of the largest insurers, including State Farm and AllState, have even paused writing new home policies anywhere in California.—
Ethan Varian,
Mercury News,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The suspect plowed his truck into Temple Israel synagogue on March 12.—
Emily Shapiro,
ABC News,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Previously, common people had shared the right to plow open fields, gather firewood, graze animals and cut peat from nearby bogs.—
Will Glovinsky,
The Conversation,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Setrakian refused to say whether his work on Bonta’s defense might violate state corruption laws.—
Will Swaim,
Oc Register,
6 Apr. 2026
-
But the implicit argument, that Colorado law effectively compels Jeffco to violate Title IX, is a major, predictable indictment of our legislature.—
Lisa Frizell,
Denver Post,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
For over 150 years, the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station has conducted scientific research and experiments to help farmers diagnose and solve problems with their plants and soil, invasive insects and more.—
Angela Eichhorst,
Hartford Courant,
2 Apr. 2026
-
There are so many basic problems that publishers could solve without needing to work with a partner who has invented something entirely new, but that hasn’t stopped them from trying.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Break.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
