emergency brake

noun

: a brake (as on an automobile) that can be used for stopping in the event of failure of the main brakes and to keep the vehicle from rolling when parked

Examples of emergency brake in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The first plane hit the North Tower as the elevator approached the 65th floor; the car plummeted 15 floors before the emergency brake kicked in. — ArsTechnica, 20 Aug. 2026

Supporters see an emergency brake for powerful AI AI-safety advocacy groups have backed the bill. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 2 Aug. 2026

The train’s emergency brake was activated, and none of the 43 passengers were injured, according to police. — Gina Kalsi, PEOPLE, 13 July 2026

Once a vehicle is hooked, a repossessor may still need the key—sometimes the emergency brake is on or the car needs to be put in neutral, and an inventory of the car’s contents must be taken, too. — Paige Williams, New Yorker, 22 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1871, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for emergency brake

• ache
• ake
• bake
• break
• cake
• craik
• crake
• fake
• flake
• hake
• jake
• lake