brake 1 of 2

noun

Definition of brakenext
as in grove
a thick patch of shrubbery, small trees, or underbrush built a small shelter in the brake to watch for deer

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

brake

2 of 2

verb

as in to slow
to cause to move or proceed at a less rapid pace braked the car sharply when someone pulled out in front of us

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of brake
Noun
The nastiest incident unfolded in near-identical circumstances, with Movistar’s Einer Rubio following a UAE Team Emirates car, which had to slam on its brakes due to the size of the crowds, with the Colombian riding into the back at full speed. — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 24 July 2026 Garcia never stepped on the brakes before the SUV hit the tree; only the vehicle’s accelerator was applied, according to the DA’s Office. — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 23 July 2026
Verb
The vehicle entered the scene, then braked hard while attempting to steer away before coming to a stop, Zoox said. — Annie Palmer, CNBC, 17 July 2026 Jashanpreet Singh, who was 21 at the time of the incident, failed to brake as traffic slowed while driving a semi-truck along the 10 Freeway in the city of Ontario in October 2025, per the Los Angeles Times and NBC4 Los Angeles. — Adam England, PEOPLE, 15 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for brake
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brake
  1. grove
  2. slow
  3. coppice
  4. bush
  5. forest
  6. wood
  7. chaparral
  8. thicket
Noun
  • Growers are experimenting with commercial groves of chocolate, vanilla and coffee with some success.
    — Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 24 July 2026
  • The lush grounds also include a 70-foot pool with an inset spa, a Baja ledge, and water features, along with a freestanding infrared sauna and meandering pathways winding through gardens and citrus groves.
    — Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 23 July 2026
Definition of grove
Verb
  • The Dash were able to slow down red-hot Karlie Lema, who had scored in each of Bay FC’s previous three matches.
    — Staff report, Mercury News, 25 July 2026
  • Washington has ramped up export restrictions against China in recent years to slow the country’s development of AI and chips that could power its military.
    — John Liu, CNN Money, 24 July 2026
Definition of slow
Noun
  • The two most straightforward of the trials will involve large-scale planting of trees and bioenergy crops, including Miscanthus grasses and coppice willow, reports Robert Lea for AZoCleanTech.
    — Alex Fox, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 May 2021
  • Another strategy, called short rotation coppice, involves planting fast-growing trees such as willows and poplars in extremely dense rows.
    — Eric Toensmeier, Scientific American, 1 Aug. 2020
Definition of coppice
Noun
  • Juniper trees, myrtle bushes, vineyards, and aromatic herbs flourish under the influence of the Maestrale, the strong northwesterly wind that sweeps across Sardinia year-round.
    — Layne Randolph, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • Late spring and early summer have some of the best weather for hiking, while fall is when certain trees and bushes turn shades of orange, yellow, and red, making for a colorful in-park experience.
    — Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 19 July 2026
Definition of bush
Noun
  • Capital takes no responsibility for the exhaustion of the soil or the destruction of the forests.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 July 2026
  • Expect days filled with whale-watching, bear-spotting, biking, and rain-forest trekking.
    — Laura Dannen Redman, Robb Report, 23 July 2026
Definition of forest
Noun
  • The space feels like a luxurious living room with a fireplace, dark wood paneling and a collection of personal art.
    — Spencer Whaley, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
  • Covered in warm wood, a 24-foot self-supporting sculptural staircase connects the two floors, guiding clients upward beneath a natural skylight to the second floor.
    — Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 23 July 2026
Definition of wood
Noun
  • Stepping on stems is attention-getting, but the result is a wine that echoes the chaparral of the hillsides surrounding the vineyard.
    — Laura Ness, Mercury News, 5 July 2026
  • An adventure among the mustangs, the chaparrals, the arroyos, the wide purple this and that.
    — Padgett Powell, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
Definition of chaparral
Noun
  • The retaliation works, and soon Cole and his men are marching on foot, scrabbling their way through thickets and swamps.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
  • Across the street, the Llano River splashes its way over limestone formations and into reed thickets.
    — Pam LeBlanc, Southern Living, 20 July 2026
Definition of thicket

Browse Nearby Words

braising
brake
braked
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Brake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brake. Accessed 30 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on brake

Nglish: Translation of brake for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about brake

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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of sultry

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
chain-question-mark
Missing Link Quiz July 2026 Five seconds to figure out the word that fits bot...
See All