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
Relevance
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
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 off
The fragmentary Ni 12501 tablet from the Early Dynastic III period of Mesopotamia breaks off when Fox deceives the inhabitants of the netherworld in his quest to retrieve the storm god Ishkur.
—
Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
The move comes after Inspirato broke off a deal to combine Inspirato with Buyerlink, a digital marketing firm that Inspirato CEO Payam Zamani also owns.
—Max Scheinblum, Denver Post, 19 Sep. 2025
Current data suggests the asteroid features a bright surface made of solid rock, possibly broken off of a distant planet or another asteroid.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 18 Sep. 2025
After ramming it a few times, a piece of the rudder broke off, and that was even more fun because there was something to play with.
—Ramon Padilla, USA Today, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for break off
Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
The move comes after Inspirato broke off a deal to combine Inspirato with Buyerlink, a digital marketing firm that Inspirato CEO Payam Zamani also owns.
—Max Scheinblum, Denver Post, 19 Sep. 2025
Current data suggests the asteroid features a bright surface made of solid rock, possibly broken off of a distant planet or another asteroid.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 18 Sep. 2025
After ramming it a few times, a piece of the rudder broke off, and that was even more fun because there was something to play with.
—Ramon Padilla, USA Today, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for break off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break off
Verb
-
The traffic itself generally keeps moving rather than fully stopping.—
Eric D. Lawrence,
USA Today,
28 Sep. 2025
-
Fighting on the island had stopped, so the soldiers in the picture were not under fire, and the action of raising the flag (there is a movie of it) took all of a few seconds.—
Louis Menand,
New Yorker,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The arteries end at the capillaries.—
Bryant Stamford,
Louisville Courier Journal,
2 Oct. 2025
-
The Arkansas Educational Freedom Accounts could cost the state more than $326 million during the fiscal year that ends June 30, according to information provided by the state Department of Education.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Trouble in Mind Records, the Chicago label that specialized in punk and garage-rock for more than a decade, has ceased operations.—
Matthew Strauss,
Pitchfork,
26 Sep. 2025
-
All her fraudulent welfare handouts ceased in January 2025.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Little Rock Board of Directors must confirm Buchanan's reappointment to the panel, which would be for a five-year term that expires in September 2030.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Sep. 2025
-
The arbitration is to decide on the police union's contract from 2023 through 2025 — which expires in just over three months.—
Kelli Arseneau,
jsonline.com,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
All talks of building or buying a new facility were halted, however, in December when the mayor announced emergency budget cuts to address a substantial deficit.—
Jennifer Van Grove,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Sep. 2025
-
The federal Office of Management and Budget did not respond to The Bee’s request for clarification on which operations would be halted.—
David Lightman,
Sacbee.com,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Not much has gone to plan for the Twins this season, but Ryan’s season — which officially concluded on Friday night — was one of the things that has.—
Betsy Helfand,
Twin Cities,
27 Sep. 2025
-
Sandia National Laboratories and Los Alamos National Laboratory jointly designed and produced the system’s five subsystems, said calibration and early on-orbit testing concluded successfully in June.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Among the most startling revelations was his experience filming 1977's The Sentinel, a horror movie directed by the late Michael Winner, which Sarandon says nearly drove him to quit acting altogether.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
27 Sep. 2025
-
The ex-staffer, who quit in August, said he was punched, elbowed or kicked by youth over 10 times and reported three or four assaults to police.—
Sam Tabachnik,
Denver Post,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Many girls and women have turned to online education being offered by organizations in other countries, but the nationwide blackout now cuts off their access to that, too.—
Chantelle Lee,
Time,
30 Sep. 2025
-
The oppressive rule has led to nations cutting off aid, leading to one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
30 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Break off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20off. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share