breaker

1 of 2

noun (1)

break·​er ˈbrā-kər How to pronounce breaker (audio)
plural breakers
1
a
: someone or something that breaks something
a deal breaker
world record breakers
b
: a machine or plant for breaking rocks or coal
c
chiefly British : someone who breaks up ships or cars for salvage
d
: a device for opening a circuit
specifically : circuit breaker
2
: a wave breaking into foam (as against the shore)
Few things leave you feeling as connected to nature as surfing—whether you're floundering about in the breakers or riding the waves.Ellie Ross
3
: someone who breakdances : breakdancer
While the first generation of breakers who started in the early 1970s aged out within five years, newer generations in their early teens were coming up and seeking out others who kept the dance alive on their own blocks in New York City.Imani Kai Johnson

breaker

2 of 2

noun (2)

brea·​ker ˈbrā-kər How to pronounce breaker (audio)
: a small water cask

Examples of breaker in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The vessel will plot an 18-day course from the Chinese port of Ningbo-Zhoushan to Felixstowe in the UK, accompanied by ice breakers. Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025 Wheel of Fortune has a new grand champion — and a record breaker at that. Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Oct. 2025 Just as the team bounced back from the opening loss to the Mets to win the next two, ultimately securing the tie-breaker against New York. C. Trent Rosecrans, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025 Nix threw an in-breaker to Courtland Sutton for 8 yards with 17 seconds left in the first half that got Denver down to the Cincinnati 20-yard line, but Sutton was tackled in-bounds, and the Broncos didn’t have any timeouts left. Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 30 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for breaker

Word History

Etymology

Noun (2)

by folk etymology from Spanish barrica

First Known Use

Noun (1)

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

1833, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of breaker was in the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Breaker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/breaker. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

breaker

noun
break·​er
ˈbrā-kər
1
: a person or thing that breaks something
2
: a wave breaking into foam against the shore

More from Merriam-Webster on breaker

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!