breakdance

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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

Beat Street was one of the first films to depict hip-hop culture, including breakdancing, mixing, scratching, and graffiti art. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2026

The film chronicles how Gunn came to breakdancing, her rocky path to the Paris Games and the toll that going viral had on her. — David MacK, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026

Noun

In 2024, the Paris Olympics gave it a blast of modernity, using it for break dance, skateboard, BMX and 3X3 basketball events. — Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026

Go rappels from great heights, break dances, and walks down the arena steps on his hands. — Frederick Dreier, Outside, 7 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1983, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1983, in the meaning defined at sense 1