Synonyms of break
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as in to disrupt
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as in to stop
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as in to reduce
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as in to decipher
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as in to pause
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as in to plow
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as in to violate
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as in to solve
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as in to damage
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as in to die
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as in to retreat
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as in to wear
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as in to circulate
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as in to ruin
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as in to begin
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as in to veer
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as in to depress
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as in to exceed
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as in to surface
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as in pause
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as in vacation
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as in gap
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as in opportunity
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as in accident
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as in escape
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Example Sentences
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Phrases Containing
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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
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Relevance
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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
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
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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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
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
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Recent Examples of break
Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 20 Apr. 2026
Despite her Sacramento resume and respect among Democratic Party activists, Yee never gained traction with the state’s voters, failing to break double digits in any poll.
—Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026
Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2026
Play areas throughout the grounds give kids space to burn off energy, and seasonal splash areas offer a refreshing break on hot days.
—Taylor Haught, Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break
Verb
Early morning quiet broken by gunfire Shamar Elkins shot his wife, another woman and eight children at two separate homes in the area, according to police.
—Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 20 Apr. 2026
Despite her Sacramento resume and respect among Democratic Party activists, Yee never gained traction with the state’s voters, failing to break double digits in any poll.
—Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026
Noun
Ben Taleblu argued that Pezeshkian’s apparent sidelining should not be viewed as a dramatic break from the past because the president never exercised significant independent authority.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2026
Play areas throughout the grounds give kids space to burn off energy, and seasonal splash areas offer a refreshing break on hot days.
—Taylor Haught, Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break
Verb
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Now, with missiles intercepted over Gulf capitals and air travel repeatedly disrupted, the long-standing stability of Dubai expat life is being questioned.—
Emma Graham,Sawdah Bhaimiya,
CNBC,
21 Apr. 2026
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That year, as gas prices spiked fast after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine disrupted global oil markets and in the wake of peak COVID-19 inflation, politicians felt pressure to act on relief, and many did.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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On the mound for Monday’s 2-0 win, pitch count was the only thing that could stop Toma.—
Paul Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Apr. 2026
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If nerves come up, that’s part of the process, not a reason to stop.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Keep your focus inward, reduce noise, and protect your energy.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
21 Apr. 2026
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Avoid planting garlic near peas, beans, and asparagus, as garlic may compete with these vegetables for nutrients (particularly nitrogen), inhibit their growth, and reduce their yield.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In corporate news, luxury conglomerate and industry bellwether LVMH reported quarterly sales that missed expectations on Monday as the sector begins to decipher the fallout from the war in the Middle East and its impact on stocks.—
Leonie Kidd,
CNBC,
14 Apr. 2026
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The researchers then deciphered certain traits that were linked to the habit.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Schuch paused in front of a Tetra Pak carton of Côtes du Rhône, noting that while such packaging had gone over fine in Nordic countries, French consumers had rejected it vehemently.—
Lauren Collins,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
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If nerves show up, pause, breathe, and focus on the message instead of the outcome.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This month, children learned about plowing and planting before planting their own seeds to take home.—
Caleb Grieger,
Arkansas Online,
21 Apr. 2026
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The conservative Pacific Research Institute plows the same economic ground in a report.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Formosus’ corpse was found guilty of violating papal law.—
Jane Bua,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
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The man could not establish the existence of a relationship of trust or a false representation or statement of fact without violating the free exercise clause of the First Amendment, the court said.—
Angela Palermo,
Idaho Statesman,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Hungary's economic crisis won't be solved alone by these funds, Darvas said, but by complying with EU regulations, the new government will signal that the country is a stable place for investments.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
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While the major offices are all using Tyler’s system to generate bills, a final launch has been delayed repeatedly as new fixes for refunds and handling of overdue payments often uncover fresh and unexpected problems to solve.—
A.D. Quig,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Break.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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