breach

1 of 2

noun

ˈbrēch 

1

: infraction or violation of a law, obligation, tie, or standard

a breach of trust

sued them for breach of contract

2

a

: a broken, ruptured, or torn condition or area

a breach of the skin

the leak was a major security breach

b

: a gap (as in a wall) made by battering

fixing a breach in the fence

once more unto the breach, dear friends, … or close the wall up with our English dead

—Shakespeare

3

a

: a break in accustomed friendly relations

caused a breach between the two countries

b

: a temporary gap in continuity : hiatus

a breach of routine

4

: a leap especially of a whale out of water

breach

2 of 2

verb

breached; breaching; breaches

transitive verb

1

: to make a gap in by battering : to make a breach (see breach entry 1 sense 2b) in

breached the castle wall

2

: break, violate

breach an agreement

intransitive verb

: to leap out of water

a whale breaching

Did you know?

Into the breech or the breach?

If you are about to provide some much-needed assistance in a situation do you get ready to step (or leap, or jump) into the breach or the breech? The former. The sense of breach this expression applies to is “a gap (as in a wall) made by battering.” Breech, on the other hand, refers most often to a part of a rifle (near the rear of the barrel), the buttocks, or short pants which cover the hips and thighs (this sense is always found used in the plural, breeches). You may, if you are in a state of undress, step into your breeches before you step into the breach, but you would never step into your breaches before stepping into the breech.

Synonyms

Noun

• contravention
• infraction
• infringement
• transgression
• trespass
• violation

Verb

• break
• contravene
• fracture
• infringe (on or upon)
• offend
• traduce
• transgress
• violate

Examples of breach in a Sentence

Noun

This is clearly a breach of the treaty.

Many people consider her decision to be a breach of trust.

The judge ruled that the doctor's actions were in breach of her contractual duty.

Verb

He claims that the city breached an agreement by selling the property.

Is he going to breach his contract?

The army breached the castle wall.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

UnitedHealth Group targeted in largest-ever health industry data breach With UnitedHealth Group looking toward the future, many are still grappling with a tumultuous year for the company. —Jonathan Limehouse, USA Today, 14 May 2025

What if a player is permanently suspended for something such as a breach of the Domestic Violence Policy? —Maury Brown, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025

Verb

Six of nine planetary boundaries — the limits deemed safe for humans to enjoy stable and prosperous lives on Earth — have been breached. —Nina Seega, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025

Earlier this year, authorities shut down the farm in Cheongju, South Korea — where the owner had been breeding dogs and serving their meat in his restaurant for 40 years — for breaching the Animal Protection Act, according to the charity (formerly Humane Society International). —Bailey Richards, People.com, 12 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English breche "act of breaking, opening in a wall, violation," probably in part continuing Old English brǣc "act of breaking" (derivative from base of brecan "to break"), in part borrowed from Anglo-French & continental Old French breche "break, gap," going back to Old Low Franconian *breka, derivative of *brekan "to break," going back to Germanic *brekan- — more at break entry 1

Verb

derivative of breach entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1547, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing breach

• a breach of the peace
• breach of confidentiality
• breach of contract
• breach of promise
• breach of the peace
• heal the rift/breach
• into the breach

Rhymes for breach

• beach
• beech
• bleach
• breech
• each
• keech
• leach
• leech
• meech
• peach
• preach
• reach

Kids Definition

breach

1 of 2 noun

ˈbrēch 

1

: violation of a law, duty, or tie

a breach of trust

2

a

: a broken or torn condition or area

b

: a gap (as in a wall) made by breaking through

3

: a break in friendly relations

4

: a leap especially of a whale out of water

breach

2 of 2 verb

1

: to make a breach in

2

: break entry 1 sense 2, violate

breach an agreement

3

: to leap out of water

Legal Definition

breach

noun

ˈbrēch 

1

a

: a violation in the performance of or a failure to perform an obligation created by a promise, duty, or law without excuse or justification

— breach of duty

: a breach of a duty especially by a fiduciary (as an agent or corporate officer) in carrying out the functions of his or her position

— breach of trust

: a breach by a trustee of the terms of a trust (as by stealing from or carelessly mishandling the funds)

— breach of warranty

: a breach by a seller of the terms of a warranty (as by the failure of the goods to conform to the seller's description or by a defect in title)

Note: A seller may be liable for a breach of warranty even without any negligence or misconduct.

b

: failure without excuse or justification to fulfill one's obligations under a contract

called also breach of contract

compare repudiation

— anticipatory breach

: a breach of contract that occurs as a result of a party's anticipatory repudiation of the contract

— efficient breach

: breach of contract in economic theory in which it is more profitable for the breaching party to breach the contract and pay damages than to perform under the contract

— material breach

: a breach of contract that is so substantial that it defeats the purpose of the parties in making the contract and gives the nonbreaching party the right to cancel the contract and sue for damages compare substantial performance at performance

Note: Whether a breach is material is a question of fact. Under the Restatement (Second) of Contracts, a material breach gives rise to the right to suspend performance but not to cancel the contract until there is a total breach.

— partial breach

: a breach of contract in which the breaching party's nonperformance is minor and gives rise to the right to sue for damages but not to suspend performance or cancel the contract compare part performance at performance

— total breach

: a breach of contract under the Restatement (Second) of Contracts that is so substantial that it gives rise to the right to cancel the contract and sue for damages

2

a

: a violation or disturbance of something (as a law or condition)

find both the State and the minor guilty of gross breaches of the rules of procedure

—In re D.L.B., 429 N.E.2d 615 (1981)

a breach of security

especially : breach of the peace

b

: an act of breaking out

breach of prison

3

: the condition of having committed a breach of contract

—used in the phrase in breach

a terminating party who is not in breach is entitled to expenses

—C&S/Sovran Corp. v. First Fed. Sav. Bank of Brunswick, 463 S.E.2d 892 (1995)

breach verb

breacher noun