break off
verb
broke off; broken off; breaking off; breaks 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
Examples of break off in a Sentence
the judge broke off court proceedings until after lunch
talks between the two sides broke off when one began making unreasonable demands
Recent Examples on the Web
About 10 minutes later, one or two members of the group broke off to spray-paint vehicles and the guard booth.
—
Emerson Clarridge
updated February 17, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Feb. 2026
The same tip had already broken off during an act of vandalism in 2016, Rome’s city hall said.
—ABC News, 18 Feb. 2026
This permitted pressure to build up and cracking to occur, causing some charred material to break off in several locations, NASA reported.
—Leonard David, Space.com, 17 Feb. 2026
The women’s team’s ownership structure broke off from the men’s side two years ago — exactly how the split works is still unclear.
—Emily Olsen, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break off
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Emerson Clarridge
updated February 17, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Feb. 2026
The same tip had already broken off during an act of vandalism in 2016, Rome’s city hall said.
—ABC News, 18 Feb. 2026
This permitted pressure to build up and cracking to occur, causing some charred material to break off in several locations, NASA reported.
—Leonard David, Space.com, 17 Feb. 2026
The women’s team’s ownership structure broke off from the men’s side two years ago — exactly how the split works is still unclear.
—Emily Olsen, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break off
Cite this Entry
“Break off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/break%20off. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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