clean break
noun
: complete separation from something
When he left home, he made a clean break with the past.
Examples of clean break in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Molina was looking for a clean break with the past.
—
Joey Cappelletti, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
The release represents a clean break from Meta’s previous work on the open source Llama model family, which has received a middling reaction both from users and on independent LLM rankings.
—ArsTechnica, 8 Apr. 2026
But a potential Magyar government would not represent a clean break from Orbán-era policies.
—Domi Suskova, CNBC, 7 Apr. 2026
This is York making a totally clean break from the despicable couple.
—Lauryn Overhultz , Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 31 Mar. 2026
There is rarely a confrontation, a clean break.
—Literary Hub, 11 Mar. 2026
So, a clean break makes the most sense.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 10 Mar. 2026
And although their set did represent a clean break from the DJ action, the danceable nature of their electronic art-pop was a natural fit that stood out just enough without killing the vibe.
—Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 6 Mar. 2026
Not everyone, however, is calling for a clean break.
—Adam Benzine, HollywoodReporter, 5 Mar. 2026
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.
Joey Cappelletti, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
The release represents a clean break from Meta’s previous work on the open source Llama model family, which has received a middling reaction both from users and on independent LLM rankings.
—ArsTechnica, 8 Apr. 2026
But a potential Magyar government would not represent a clean break from Orbán-era policies.
—Domi Suskova, CNBC, 7 Apr. 2026
This is York making a totally clean break from the despicable couple.
—Lauryn Overhultz , Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 31 Mar. 2026
There is rarely a confrontation, a clean break.
—Literary Hub, 11 Mar. 2026
So, a clean break makes the most sense.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 10 Mar. 2026
And although their set did represent a clean break from the DJ action, the danceable nature of their electronic art-pop was a natural fit that stood out just enough without killing the vibe.
—Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 6 Mar. 2026
Not everyone, however, is calling for a clean break.
—Adam Benzine, HollywoodReporter, 5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clean break.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clean%20break. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
