breakdance

1 of 2

verb

break·​dance ˈbrāk-ˌdan(t)s 

variants or break dance or less commonly break-dance

breakdanced or break danced also break-danced; breakdancing or break dancing also break-dancing; breakdances or break dances also break-dances

intransitive verb

: to dance in a hip-hop style by performing a series of acrobatic moves that often involve touching various parts of the body (such as the back or head) to the ground : to engage in breakdancing

The girls breakdance, whirling on the floor …

—Robert Sullivan

… [Christian] Wilkins, surrounded by teammates, began break-dancing in the end zone.

—Marcel Louis-Jacques

As a poet, hip-hop artist, and b-girl (a girl that break dances), Chilli is a huge advocate for using the arts as a tool for social justice.

—e-democracy.org

In January, a class from Plaisance Middle School clapped and cheered as their attention was fixated on the floor where dancers were breakdancing to hip-hop music.

—Patrice Doucet

break dance

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noun

variants or breakdance

ˈbrāk-ˌdan(t)s 

or less commonly break-dance

plural break dances or breakdances also break-dances

1

: a style of hip-hop dance in which soloists perform acrobatic moves that often involve touching various parts of the body (such as the back or head) to the ground : breakdancing

… Sandro is a keen boxer and has a background in ballet and breakdance too.

—Natalie Oganesyan

—often used before another noun

break dance lessons

a breakdance competition

a break-dance routine

2

: the act or an instance of breakdancing

… 17 student-teacher dance pairs rocked the stage with salsas, break dances, and more.

—Sam Deady

Examples of breakdance in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

That appeared to be the best choice since the other teams that tried to breakdance were struggling and the teams that did the puzzle ended up finishing in the top 3. —Christopher Kuhagen, Journal Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2024

As hip-hop turns 50 on Friday, one of its pillars, breakdancing, was on display last weekend in Phoenix at the World Hip Hop Dance Championship. —Jevon Phillips, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2023

Occasionally, this fervent dot-connecting grows strained, as in a chapter that intersects the Voice with graffiti culture, breakdancing, and the emergence of Jean-Michel Basquiat. —Michelle Orange, The New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2024

But after spending the last 15 years learning to breakdance, overcoming issues such as a lack of coaches, funding and formal training, Cheung is too invested in the sport to quit. —Reuters, CNN, 11 Mar. 2024

Media coined breakdancing to explain the form more broadly. —Sean Gregory, TIME, 5 Mar. 2024

The sport, which is more commonly known as breakdancing, will be contested at the Olympic Games for the first time ever in Paris, with men's and women's fields of 20 competitors each. —Tom Schad, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2024

And the Place de la Concorde will feature breakdancing. —John Powers, BostonGlobe.com, 22 July 2023

This year, libraries across Brooklyn will celebrate hip hop’s legacy with programs that include learning to DJ, graffiti art, breakdancing, spoken word, poetry, fashion, movies, and music. —Melissa Noel, Essence, 21 June 2023

Noun

Back to the Yards at Yards Park Yards Park’s annual tribute to neon, glow sticks and retro tunes returns to the Anacostia waterfront, with crafting stations, break dance performances, arcade games, and DJs spinning ’80s and ’90s hits. —Chris Richards, Washington Post, 28 Sep. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1983, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1983, in the meaning defined at sense 1