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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Entries Near
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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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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
Stephanie Vermillion, Outside, 16 Mar. 2026
As morning broke Monday, a drone hit a fuel tank near Dubai International Airport, the world's busiest for international passenger traffic, causing a large fire.
—ABC News, 16 Mar. 2026
Claire Osborn, Austin American Statesman, 17 Mar. 2026
Angel Pena works in the apartment building behind the break and says this is the second time this has happened in four years.
—Brandon Truitt, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break
Verb
On a night safari in Botswana, for example, my heart broke as guides used mega-watt flashlights to show us hyenas, lions, and bush babies.
—Stephanie Vermillion, Outside, 16 Mar. 2026
As morning broke Monday, a drone hit a fuel tank near Dubai International Airport, the world's busiest for international passenger traffic, causing a large fire.
—ABC News, 16 Mar. 2026
Noun
The water from the 24-inch bypass was no longer reaching the lake Tuesday because the bypass was connected at two points to the existing waterline, and the fifth break happened beyond those connections, officials said.
—Claire Osborn, Austin American Statesman, 17 Mar. 2026
Angel Pena works in the apartment building behind the break and says this is the second time this has happened in four years.
—Brandon Truitt, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break
Verb
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This illumination can temporarily blind the animals, leaving them more vulnerable while disrupting their natural habits.—
Stephanie Vermillion,
Outside,
16 Mar. 2026
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At that point, the parasite disrupts brain regions that regulate circadian rhythm, causing patients to become sleepy during the day and awake at night.—
Fran Kritz,
NPR,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Leave the resort to dine at Sunset Mona Lisa, a neighboring cliffside terrace where Mediterranean-leaning plates play second fiddle to the show-stopping tangerine-pink sunsets.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 Mar. 2026
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Pavel Zacha had both goals for Boston, and Jeremy Swayman stopped 28 shots.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In the kitchen, ingredients are sourced locally to reduce carbon footprint and maintain freshness.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Mar. 2026
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To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned environments.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Before diners are even seated, a quirky focal point is bound to elicit oohs and aahs, and many, many wandering eyes trying to decipher the meaning.—
Zareen Syed,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Mar. 2026
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Binary neutron stars have long been considered the best bet for deciphering what lurks within.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Her paintings can be calming to one and all consuming to another, and her compositions encourage viewers to pause and question.—
Heide Janssen,
Oc Register,
15 Mar. 2026
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Volunteers pause, slip off their shoes, and place their feet onto the earth.—
Abraham Nudelstejer,
Dallas Morning News,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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As crews plowed Twin Cities streets Monday, hundreds awoke to find their vehicles missing.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
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The firestorm plowed through the Pacific Palisades and into Malibu, burning 23,400 acres and leveling more than 6,800 structures, including many homes.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Airlines and their trade association argue that the Biden administration’s wheelchair regulations exceed the Department of Transportation’s statutory authority and violate the Administrative Procedure Act, claiming the requirements impose unreasonable burdens on air carriers.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Mar. 2026
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Eleven people, including several sitting members of Bridgeport city council and the former vice chair of the city’s Democratic Party, are facing hundreds of state criminal charges for violating Connecticut’s absentee ballot laws during back-to-back mayoral elections in 2019 and 2023.—
Andrew Brown,
Hartford Courant,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In a briefing with reporters earlier, a Meta legal spokesperson said the company didn't believe that youth mental health struggles, both broadly and with Kaley specifically, could be solved through litigation.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
13 Mar. 2026
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To solve the problem, graduate student James Talavage and Professor Ou Ma designed a system called Dual-Arm Zero Momentum.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Break.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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