break off
verbDefinition of break off
1 : to stop abruptly break off in the middle of a sentence
2 : to become detached branches that broke off in the storm
3 : to end a relationship broke off with his business partner
1 : discontinue break off diplomatic relations
2 : to remove by or as if by breaking broke off a chunk of bread
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Synonyms & Antonyms for break off
Synonyms
break up, cease, close, conclude, dead-end, determine, die, discontinue, elapse, end, expire, finish, go, halt, lapse, leave off, let up, pass, quit, stop, terminate, wind up, wink (out)
Antonyms
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Examples of break off in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Talks broke off early Tuesday, with Nahles saying many issues still needed to be clarified before the SPD could approve the deal. — Jefferson Chase, USA TODAY, "German government crisis: Chancellor Angela Merkel gets migrant compromise," 3 July 2018 Crows from New Caledonia, an island in the South Pacific, can break off pieces of a branch to form a hook, using it to pull a grub out of a log, for instance. — Karen Weintraub, New York Times, "Can Crows Make Mental Pictures of Tools?," 28 June 2018 At 6:15, many broke off from marching and moved to block the doors. — Detroit Free Press, "Protesters slam GOP on healthcare, wages at Michigan governor debate," 28 June 2018 When spalling occurs on the exterior of the concrete, material can break off and fall onto the road below. — Kevin Davenport, idahostatesman, "How a 20-minute fire in the fatal I-84 crash ruined a concrete overpass," 22 June 2018 Despite De Lay Hoya's public statements, talks between the camps did not break off. — Rick Maese, chicagotribune.com, "Last-ditch efforts revive Gennady Golovkin-Canelo Alvarez rematch for Sept. 15 in Las Vegas," 14 June 2018 The countries broke off relations when a border war began in 1998, five years after Eritrea won independence from Ethiopia, and their leaders haven't met since signing a 2000 peace deal. — Elias Meseret, Fox News, "Ethiopia, Eritrea leaders to meet 'soon' in surprising thaw," 28 June 2018 As a paved road breaks off, tribal government buildings emerge. — Marisa Agha, latimes.com, "As Arizona approaches midterm election, Native Americans look to increase clout," 12 June 2018 In late March, 2000, an iceberg larger than Jamaica, the largest ever recorded, broke off Antarctica’s Ross Ice Shelf. — Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "World’s Largest Iceberg Is Melting Away After 18 Years Adrift," 9 June 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'break off.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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