break off

verb

broke off; broken off; breaking off; breaks off

intransitive verb

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

transitive verb

1

: discontinue

break off diplomatic relations

2

: to remove by or as if by breaking

broke off a chunk of bread

Synonyms of break off

• stop
• cease
• end
• halt
• quit
• cut off
• lay off
• knock off
• shut off
• cut out

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

The van was parked and unoccupied, and a key was broken off in the driver’s door lock, police said. —Cale Ahearn, Baltimore Sun, 6 May 2026

Morejón is throwing harder than ever and still breaking off some dastardly breaking pitches and throwing an increasingly wicked changeup. —Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 May 2026

The officers enter the estate, and Athena and Hooks break off by themselves to find Nikolay. —Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026

That Sun team, led by Tina Charles, is beating the breaks off the Sparks. —Kiese Laymon, Vanity Fair, 30 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for break off

• ashraf
• checkoff
• cutoff
• falloff
• handoff
• kickoff
• layoff
• liftoff
• markoff
• markov
• payoff
• playoff

Kids Definition

break off

verb

: to stop suddenly