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 disrupted
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as in ended
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as in demoted
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as in deciphered
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as in paused
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as in plowed
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as in violated
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as in solved
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as in damaged
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as in died
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as in retreated
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as in wore
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as in circulated
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as in ruined
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as in began
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as in veered
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as in reduced
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as in exceeded
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as in surfaced
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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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as in impoverished
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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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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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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
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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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as in impoverished
lacking money or material possessions
too broke to afford even a used car
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in disrupted
to cause to separate into pieces usually suddenly or forcibly
hated telling her that I had broken her favorite glass vase
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ended
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end
the final vote broke the deadlock
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3
as in demoted
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in deciphered
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 paused
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in plowed
to cut into and turn over the sod of (a piece of land) using a bladed implement
farmers once broke fields with horse-drawn plows
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7
as in violated
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 solved
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 damaged
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 died
to stop functioning
after working for 30 years, the pump simply broke one day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
11
as in retreated
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 wore
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 circulated
to become known
as soon as the scandal broke, the CEO fled the country
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
14
as in ruined
to cause to lose one's fortune and become unable to pay one's debts
another bad investment could break him
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15
as in began
to come into existence
the crisis had passed, and a new day was breaking
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
16
as in veered
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 reduced
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 exceeded
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of break
Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 3 May 2025
One night, however, his grandfather, Harland Rust (Alec Baldwin), a legendary aging outlaw who hasn’t been heard from for years, emerges to break his grandson out of jail and whisk him across the border.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 2 May 2025
Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 2 May 2025
On April 29, 2025, a source told Page Six that the break was much needed.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 2 May 2025
Denise Petski, Deadline, 4 Feb. 2025
The immediate crisis has passed for the Isaac School District, and the Arizona State Board of Education awaits plans on what will likely be a years-long process to nurse the district back to fiscal health after going broke mid-school year.
—Jeremy Duda, Axios, 4 Feb. 2025
Christy Piña, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Dec. 2024
But then the defense broke again on the Blue run.
—The Athletic College Football Staff, The Athletic, 21 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for break
Verb
There were alliances that formed and broke, romances that formed and broke, friendships that formed and broke.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 3 May 2025
One night, however, his grandfather, Harland Rust (Alec Baldwin), a legendary aging outlaw who hasn’t been heard from for years, emerges to break his grandson out of jail and whisk him across the border.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 2 May 2025
Noun
The Knicks then exorcised another demon — awful performances coming out of the halftime break.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 2 May 2025
On April 29, 2025, a source told Page Six that the break was much needed.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 2 May 2025
Adjective
How To Die Alone followed Mel (Rothwell), a broke, fat, Black JFK airport employee who’s never been in love and forgotten how to dream, until an accidental brush with death catapults her on a journey to finally take flight and start living by any means necessary.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 4 Feb. 2025
The immediate crisis has passed for the Isaac School District, and the Arizona State Board of Education awaits plans on what will likely be a years-long process to nurse the district back to fiscal health after going broke mid-school year.
—Jeremy Duda, Axios, 4 Feb. 2025
Verb
After the news of Zuckerberg’s bunker broke, other one-percenters followed suit.
—Christy Piña, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Dec. 2024
But then the defense broke again on the Blue run.
—The Athletic College Football Staff, The Athletic, 21 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for break
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break
Noun
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And sometimes, a pause that lingers a moment longer than expected can speak louder than any update.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
3 May 2025
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Join 87 others in the comments View Comments The survey was conducted from April 17 to 24, after the White House first announced expansive new tariffs on dozens of countries, and then called a pause on many of them.—
Elisabeth Buchwald,
CNN Money,
2 May 2025
Noun
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Frequent fliers and summer vacation hopefuls have been rushing to get one squared away before the nationwide travel mandate goes into effect.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Apr. 2025
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The Virginia Creeper Trail attracts more than 200,000 hikers and bikers a year with vacation money to spend in Abingdon lodges and businesses.—
Barbara Kingsolver,
Southern Living,
25 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Next-Gen Anti-Ransomware Protection—Preemptive And Resilient Security Despite AV and EDR advancements, modern ransomware tactics—including encryption bypass and stealthy execution—continue to exploit gaps in endpoint defenses.—
Bob Kruse,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
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Assuming that the two indices continued to diverge by the current rate, the gap would only grow.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2025
Noun
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But the online Osaka Virtual Expo could attract over 250 million, allowing people who cannot travel to Japan an opportunity to experience the expo, nearly quadrupling the in-person attendance record set by Shanghai Expo in 2010.—
Matt Shaw,
Forbes.com,
4 May 2025
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Afterward, he was given plenty of opportunities to trash-talk.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
4 May 2025
Noun
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After losing her 6-year-old daughter to a tragic accident, one mother honored her child through friendship bracelets at the 2024 Era’s Tour Comments Diane Harrell lost her daughter, Isla Grace, in March 2024 after a tragic accident involving a drunk driver.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
People.com,
26 Apr. 2025
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Giuffre had been in a contentious divorce with her husband, Robert, and had recently been injured in a car accident in Australia.—
Julie K. Brown,
Miami Herald,
26 Apr. 2025
Noun
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These products are elegant extensions of experience — products that allow guests to carry a piece of the escape into real life, while quietly reinforcing brand affinity in the most personal spaces.—
Kate Hardcastle,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
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Photo: Cesar Bejar Quinta Amores For those seeking a slower, softer version of San Miguel de Allende, Quinta Amores offers a hushed escape on the edge of town.—
Michaela Trimble,
Vogue,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Pope Francis was the first pope to take the name of St. Francis of Assisi, well-known for his call for engagement with the impoverished, love of creation and the Church.—
Gabriele Regalbuto,
FOXNews.com,
26 Apr. 2025
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The dedication to care for impoverished women and children continues to influence the culture and values of Mercy today.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Don’t wait for a business lull or career crossroads to reconnect.—
Amanda Miller Littlejohn,
Forbes.com,
27 Apr. 2025
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But intensifying Russian attacks against Kyiv earlier this week following a lull over the Easter holiday led Trump to take a rare shot against Putin on Thursday.—
Ruxandra Iordache,
CNBC,
25 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Break.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break. Accessed 9 May. 2025.
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