1
as in to stop
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end
the judge broke off court proceedings until after lunch
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to end
to come to an end
talks between the two sides broke off when one began making unreasonable demands
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of break off
After remarks from a handful of speakers, most of the crowd broke off into a march through the streets.
—
Killian Baarlaer, Louisville Courier Journal, 28 Mar. 2026
The agency said metal bristles can break off, stick to grill grates and be swallowed, potentially lodging in the throat or digestive tract and causing internal injuries.
—Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2026
If Denver wants a change-of-pace back who can break off chunk gains both inside and outside the tackles, though, Black’s tape pops.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 25 Mar. 2026
Firefighters found that the beam had broken off and toppled, throwing the workers roughly 30 feet and trapping one inside a concrete formwork platform.
—Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break off
Killian Baarlaer, Louisville Courier Journal, 28 Mar. 2026
The agency said metal bristles can break off, stick to grill grates and be swallowed, potentially lodging in the throat or digestive tract and causing internal injuries.
—Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2026
If Denver wants a change-of-pace back who can break off chunk gains both inside and outside the tackles, though, Black’s tape pops.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 25 Mar. 2026
Firefighters found that the beam had broken off and toppled, throwing the workers roughly 30 feet and trapping one inside a concrete formwork platform.
—Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break off
Verb
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Such comments did little to stop the speculation, despite his contract at Atletico running to 2030 and containing a €500million (£436m; $577m) release clause.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
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Lee’s Summit school board election Voters will see seven names on their ballot for three spots on the Lee’s Summit school board, though one candidate, Christopher Thornton, did withdraw from the race after the deadline and stopped actively running.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Oh, and after a Collins strikeout finally ended the streak in the sixth, Isbel promptly led off the bottom of the seventh with a home run.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
2 Apr. 2026
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According to Max Preps, the JSerra Lions ended the 2025 season with a 3-7 record and went 0-5 in the Trinity League against powerhouse like Mater Dei.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In 1903, a vicious winter storm reduced most of the piers to splinters, and by 1906 offshore oil production at Summerland had all but ceased.—
Jeffrey Marlow,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
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In July 2025, ENR effectively ceased to exist, with media outlets reporting the remnants of the bureau would be folded into the Bureau of Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs (EEB).—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This contract expires at the end of 2026.—
Ashley Sharp,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
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At the beginning of March, NIPSCO announced several measures that expired March 31, including waived late and reconnect fees, paused service disconnections for nonpayment and reduced reconnect deposits for gas customers, according to Post-Tribune archives.—
Maya Wilkins,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In February, a Massachusetts federal court order halted the administration from using tax data for immigration enforcement for now.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
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This week, construction crews and equipment snaked along a hillside on the southern end of the 420-acre parcel, away from the three sites where the Army Corps had halted work.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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At the time, Harold's autopsy concluded his death was caused by multiple, serious cardiac issues including pericarditis, an inflammation of the sac around the heart.—
Peter Van Sant,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
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With roster movement already underway and a top-25 recruiting class incoming, the season that just concluded serves as a foundation rather than a finished product.—
Aaron Segal,
Kansas City Star,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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At the Greeley plant, union officials said the company tried to intimidate workers to quit the union in one-on-one meetings, union general counsel Matt Shechter said.—
Katie Langford,
Denver Post,
5 Apr. 2026
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Still, cuts to the airport security agency would come at a critical time for air travel with rising concerns about air safety after more than 500 TSA officers quit in recent weeks and amid a longstanding shortage of air traffic controllers.—
Reuters,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The price of oil has rocketed since the war began to highs not seen in years, as shipments are largely cut off through the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint that normally carries one-fifth of the world's oil.—
Joe Walsh,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
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The country has managed to find alternatives to some of the technology it has been cut off from, such as high-bandwidth memory to Nvidia competitors.—
Arjun Kharpal,
CNBC,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Break off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20off. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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